How To Save A Life
by akichanz
Summary: Kurt is almost at his breaking point. Until he met Blaine, the lead vocalist of their competition in Sectionals, who offers to be his go-to friend. But is Blaine really who he claims to be? Or will this just end up to be another Jesse St James incident? Slight AU. Set during Season 2.
1. Chapter 1: Staircase

******A/N: So this will be my first try on a Klaine fanfiction. I will warn you though that English isn't really my first language so pardon me in advance if somewhere in this story my English doesn't make sense. Anyway, this is slightly AU so not everything will follow as the original plot. Well, I'm quite nervous about this, but here it goes! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All events portrayed in this fanfiction are fictitious and _any resemblance_ to real people or events _is purely coincidental_. I don't own _Glee_ or any of the characters mentioned in this whole fanfiction. Thank Ryan Murphy for creating the awesome TV show and also Chris Colfer and Darren Criss for being such great actors that inspire a lot of us by being Kurt and Blaine. Love them all.**

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Staircase**

Kurt took a deep breath as he stepped into the doors of McKinley's. He warily stepped into the hallways and started heading towards his locker, trying his best to not draw any attention to himself. When he had reached his lockers, he quickly turned his locker combination and pulled it open. He got to be fast to avoid meeting with the people he did not want to meet. His arms pulling out all of the books he needed in record speed as he shuts his locker close. He was just about to take a step forward towards his class when a voice he dreaded to hear called after him.

"If it isn't the Lady himself, or should I say, 'herself'?"

Kurt rolled his eyes before turning to face the owner of the voice who was now laughing along with his five other friends.

"I pity you for your bad grammar, Karofsky. Do you need me to tutor you so that you won't sound like a toddler who had just only started to learn how to speak?" Kurt folded his arms and looked boringly at Karofsky, Azimio and the other four footballers he doesn't even bother to know what their name was.

"Shut it Lady Hummel. Don't try to act tough when you know what we are going to do to you next." Karofsky smirked as he lifted his hands to show what he was holding.

Only then did Kurt saw that the other guys were also holding the dreadful thing and Kurt let out sigh. "Slushies? Seriously?"

The guys were just about to pour those on him before Kurt lifted up his hand. "Wait! Stop, stop!"

Karofsky halted the other guys before lifting up his brows questioningly.

"At least don't ruin my books and my new Marc Jacobs new collection."

Karofsky and the others changed confused glances before Kurt stuffed all his books inside his bag, slide out from his precious jacket and place it on a stunned Azimio.

"Now you can slushie me all you want." Kurt folded his arms in preparation. When the guys stood in confusion still, he shifted his legs impatiently and stare at Karofsky. "Come on. Let's get this done and over with so I can get clean up later and still be on time for homeroom."

On Karofsky's cue, all of them splashed the slushies on him and Kurt tried hard not to flinch and shiver from the sudden cold contact on his skin. Laughter reverberated from his tormentors but Kurt still kept his cool.

He carefully opened his eyes to see that all of them were still watching him with sick happiness but as Kurt licked some of the contents from his lips, all of them stopped with wide eyes. "Ooh, grape-flavour, my favourite."

For a moment, all of them stood there not doing anything but their faces were filled with disgust. Already feeling uncomfortable in his wet clothes, Kurt pulled away his hair that was covering his face.

"Now, are you done with the lame old tricks? Can I go now?" Kurt folded his arms again.

Karofsky stares seem to linger on him for a second longer before he elbowed Azimio to return his things. Azimio roughly pushed his things back to Kurt and Karofsky walked pass him with the others, not without all of them giving him a hard shove to the lockers each.

Once they were out of sight, Kurt blew out a breath and look down at himself wearily. "At least Marc Jacobs and the books are safe," he muttered before peeling himself off the locker and headed to the washroom.

* * *

"Hey, you are finally here." Mercedes waved him over to the seat they usually shared lunch with.

"I was slushied and shoved _again_ before I was coming here." Kurt grunted as he fixed his hair that was slightly wet with water since he ran out of his organic hairspray.

"Oh, Kurt, are you okay?" his best friend look up to him with worry.

"As fine as I could ever be in this school."

Mercedes had gone silent and when he turned to look at her, he realized that he had just snapped at her.

"I'm sorry. It's Monday and I have what people would usually call the 'Monday Blues'." He explained, "Only mine will end up with me literally getting black and blue from all the slushies and locker shoves I could get by the end of the day."

"Well, at least they didn't throw you inside the dumpsters today." Mercedes shrugged and Kurt turned to give her his well-known bitch face.

"What a way to lighten up the mood, 'Cedes."

She just laughed lightly before continuing. "Anyway, I heard from Rachel that a couple of the Garblers would be coming later."

"Garblers?" Kurt looked at Mercedes in confusion before realisation hit him, "Oh, you do mean the Warblers of the Dalton Academy right?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, the Warblers, our competition for Sectionals."

"Seriously, I thought you could do better than that, Mercedes." Kurt finally smiled in humour of the irony of his friend's words.

"Shut up. I know what garblers mean."

Kurt laughed. "Right, so why are they coming here? Shouldn't we keep out of each other's way since we are competing and all?"

"I have no idea. I only heard that they will be coming to just talk to Mr Schue and 'greet' their competition."

Kurt paused from fixing his hair and gave a smug face at Mercedes, "Wait, what? Greet their competition? Are they serious?"

Mercedes just shrugged as she took a bite from her carb-filled lunch. Kurt scrunched his nose from it from the sight.

"I bet they are here to spy on us. Who on this earth are still cordial enough without having an ulterior motive behind their actions?"

Mercedes paused from scooping her food into her mouth to give her friend a bored look. "Kurt, not everyone is bad, you know?"

"I'm not saying they are bad. I'm just saying that greeting us would not be the only reason they will be coming here." Kurt stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, I don't know about that but if I was them and if I were to come here to spy on my competition, I would probably just go undercover and definitely will not announce my arrival to the teacher-in-charge."

Kurt hummed before standing up to get his healthier salad lunch. "You got a point but I still find them suspicious to just come here and greet our glee club."

"You are suspicious of everyone, my boy. You should give them the benefit of the doubt and have some faith on the new people you will meet."

Kurt let out a humourless laugh. "Mercedes, I'm a freethinker. I don't have faith."

"Yeah? Sometime, someday, someone would come into your life and you would start to realize what is having faith all about."

* * *

"Now tell me again, why are we here to _greet_ our _competition_?" David whined for the fifth time that day ever since they had left Dalton an hour ago.

"It is a polite thing to do and besides, we could get to know more about our competition." Blaine stated as though it was the most normal thing to do in the world.

Thad shook his head, "Don't bother overthinking, David. You just need to know two things; that this whole _thing_ is Blaine's idea and the one who approve this is our dear Council Head, Wes, who is by the way, had always been too fond of Blaine."

"It's not like it is a bad idea. I think Blaine is right. It is a polite thing to do after all." Wes walked over to them as he gestured all of them to follow them towards the school.

"I told you so," Thad mouthed the words to David but Blaine saw it as well and rolled his eyes jokingly. He stepped forward and opened the doors to McKinley. When he stepped in, Blaine looked around in awe.

It was nothing like the usual scene he could see in Dalton. The first thing would be the lack of uniforms and as the four of them walked in, he couldn't help but feel out of place as almost all of the students turned to look at them curiously. Blaine nervously tugged his tie and continued walking beside Wes.

"Where to?" Blaine whispered.

"Well, this Mr Schuester said that he would be in the second floor. Let's go through this stairs." Wes answered.

The other three of them nodded and silently move towards the stairs, trying to ignore the creepy stares some of them were giving them.

* * *

Kurt entered the halls of McKinley warily again. He had been slushied and shoved to the lockers every time he had to walk through the hallways to change classes and he knows that if he isn't careful even though the school is out, Karofsky and the gang would still find him. _How could they possibly find him every time he is in the hallways, anyway?_

Kurt shook his head tiredly as he made his way down the stairs. It was already two hours past the last bell so there wasn't really much student left lingering around the hallways and he hoped that his bullies were already gone from school as well.

He glanced around the quiet hallways, trying to catch any signs of any letterman jackets but thankfully found none. He let out his breath and quickly got down the last of the stairs feeling glad that his bullies had maybe already gone home.

But then he was suddenly pulled behind without any warning.

Having no chance to react, he was pulled around and his breath was knocked out of him when he was pushed back against the locker so roughly. A pain immediately shot up through his back and he bit his lips in an effort to not cry out in pain. Now that, for sure would be added to his collections of his barely healed bruise on his back. He snapped his head up and glares up at the boy.

"Karofsky," He gritted out the name of his attacker.

"Oops, I didn't mean to be rough to you. I didn't knock out the gay out of you, haven't I?" He gave the smirk that Kurt really had the urge to punch but Kurt just shove him off.

"What is your problem?" Kurt shifted his back to ease the pain in his back but never once did he break the eye contact.

"You annoy me." Karofsky duck his head with his mouth so close to Kurt's ear before suddenly punching the locker behind him. Kurt flinched involuntary but kept his eyes to the front. No way in his life would he let his fear show even though his heart was beating frantically inside. "I want you, and your gay ass to get out of my way, out of my sight."

The last words were almost a shout but Kurt just stood tall at his place before meeting his eyes as though his words didn't just faze him. "In case you haven't notice, the feeling is mutual. I don't want to see your grubby face as much as you don't want to see mine. Now, get out of my face, Karofsky."

Karofsky was just about to open his mouth when he was suddenly pulled back.

"What are you doing to him?"

Kurt's eyes widen in surprise to see someone had actually pulled Karofsky off him. His eyes met with a pair of hazel eyes that was filled with worry and a hint of anger.

"I would be grateful if you would just step away from him and walk away." The guy with hazel eyes continued.

Karofsky seemed to be caught off-guard at this stranger's bravery as he brushed the hazel-eyed guy's hand away from his shoulder and glared at him. It looks like they were having a glaring match before Karofsky pulled his eyes off and turned to Kurt.

"I'm not done with you, Lady. Next time you see me, you better hope I don't see you or you might just get yourself a reintroduction with Mr Garbage."

"Mature." Kurt muttered, earning another painful shove from him making him involuntarily let out a whimper.

"Hey! Back off!" The hazel-eyed guy pushed Karofsky off. Only when Karofsky walked away, the guy turned back to him and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

"You are foolishly brave to have faced that big ham hock alone. He could have single-handedly knocked you out and though it was admirable and endearing of you to try to have intercepted him from me, you might have ended yourself up in the hospital."

Kurt peeled himself off from the locker painfully slow as his eyes met up with the kind hazel eyes of the guy again.

"I'm not really alone. I have my friends with me and I'm sure they would back me up if that guy had laid a hand on me." The guy smiled kindly before three other guys stepped up beside him.

"Oh," was the only thing Kurt could say. He didn't even realize there was anyone else besides him. He was so surprised that someone that was not his friend had helped him to stop Karofsky from further bullying him that he didn't look at his surroundings. He was still eying the hazel-eyed guy and his friends when his eyes travelled down to what they were wearing.

The guy followed his line of sight and smiled meekly, "Yeah. We are not really from here. We are from—"

"Dalton. You guys are from the Dalton Academy and you must be from the Warblers." Kurt beat him to it as his eyes scanned through their clothes. _Hmm, not really into blazers but I approve. _He thought to himself.

"I… We… Yeah, we are actually from the Dalton Academy Warblers. Y-You know us?" The guy gave him a shy smile that had actually caused Kurt's heart to flutter. _Stop it, Kurt, he might have saved you like your knight in shining armour earlier but he could most probably straight._

"I don't actually really know you guys but I'm from the New Directions, your competition? Oh, I'm Kurt, by the way, Kurt Hummel." Kurt handed out his hand and immediately, the hazel-eyed guy took them.

"Blaine Anderson."

"Blaine." Kurt muttered experimentally while Blaine still kept his hold. He didn't know how long they had stayed like that before someone cleared his voice and Blaine quickly removed his hands from him. Kurt frowned for a moment at the loss of touch.

"So, umm, these are the Warbler Council, Wesley Montgomery, David Thompson and Thad Harwood."

The three of them stepped up and one by one shook Kurt's hand while introducing themselves.

"We saw what that guy did to you. Are you okay?" Wes asked in concern.

"Well, yeah, I'm okay. Still living, aren't I?" Kurt tried to laugh it off but when none of them were laughing with him so he added in. "Well, as compared to what I had faced before, this is nothing."

"You mean it could be worse?" David eyes widens along with the others.

"No! I mean, yes, but it's nothing really. Nothing I can't manage." Kurt shrugs, feeling a little awkward that four guys that were practically strangers to him are looking at him in concern.

"That's not just nothing." Blaine muttered.

Kurt turned to Blaine. His eyes were looking at him so intensely with worry and sadness that Kurt had to shift uncomfortably under his gaze. For unknown reasons, Kurt's heart began to thump in a fast rhythm so he tore his eyes away and let out a cough.

"Umm, yeah, I think I should be going now. My father had expected me home an hour ago and if I don't leave now, he would get worried. Wouldn't want to worry him and start having him making calls to the school." He stopped awkwardly as he fiddled with his fingers.

He looked at Blaine and the others before settling back on Blaine's hazel eyes that was still filled with worry. _Why is he looking at me like that? It is as though he genuinely cares. _He shook his head and turned to look at the others again.

"Anyway, thanks for just now. For saving me, I mean. Though I still think it was foolish since Karofsky was bigger than you and all. But I think you were brave and I appreciate what you did for me. No one had ever done that before after all, so yeah, thank you."

Kurt stop himself again, taking a discreet deep breath before smiling at them.

"It was nice meeting you guys, anyway. I guess I will see you guys at Sectionals then. Got to go now, bye!"

Kurt quickly fixes his bag on his shoulders and made a move towards the exit, already feeling the blood rushing to his face. He made it barely past them when Blaine called after him.

"Hey Kurt, are you free tomorrow in the afternoon? Maybe we could have coffee together?"

"C-Coffee? Tomorrow?" Kurt repeated.

"Well, it is fine if you—"

"Okay." Kurt interjected.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, I'm free tomorrow."

An amazing smile spread on Blaine's face for the first time and Kurt has to breathe in to steady his heartbeat.

"Then would four at Lima Bean, be okay?"

"Yeah, okay, sure." Kurt nodded stiffly.

"Great! I will see you tomorrow then."

Kurt nodded again as he swiftly made a turn and left the school grounds as quickly as he could with his heart beating erratically and his mind buzzing in what could possibly be excitement.

* * *

**A/N: Chapter 2 will probably come out sometimes this week. Anyway, if anyone of you out there is interested to help me edit and proofread this story for me, please do PM me. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Besides that, please review since reviews will always inspire me to write more. Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2: Friend

**A/N: There will be two weeks of no new Glee episodes and I am already feeling sad. Well, at least the picture tweeted by Ryan had made some of my week. I personally find it sweet that the girl had included a picture of Kurt and Blaine along with the words, 'Let My Gays Marry!' to support marriage equality. That made me think, Ryan better make good of his words of having Kurt married by 21. To Blaine and no other. Our gays deserve to be happy!**

**Anyway, I'm rambling so I better get straight to the point. Firstly, I really would want to thank AliceInRavenclaw for helping me Beta this story. You are so wonderful! And for those who had followed, favorite and reviewed this, I really would want to send lots of my love to you guys because you rock! Now, I better not stop you guys from reading. So enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Friend**

"He didn't look like it but he seems like a wreck to me." David's voice cut him out from his thoughts as Blaine eyes continued to follow the guy with the glasz eyes rushing out from the door.

"He is being bullied, David. It's not something one can just shrug it off." Thad gave a pointed look at David. "Did you see how the guy had shoved him into the lockers? Iflinched just by _seeing_ it happen. That must be painful."

"Is there a reason why you would want to have coffee with him tomorrow?" Wes inquired though in his eyes he already knew Blaine's reason.

Blaine nodded. "Yeah, I thought that I could possibly be friends with him."

Wes, David and Thad exchanged knowing smiles as Blaine look at them questioningly.

"What?"

"As expected of Blaine, always the kind one who would go all out to help someone he just knew." Thad stated, waving his hands dramatically.

"If we didn't know better, we thought you were asking him for a date." David joked and Blaine gave him a boring look. "Didn't you hear what the bully had called the guy?"

Blaine kept his boring stare at David before the latter rush off to explain himself.

"Kurt is gay, Blaine. Where were you when the big guy was shouting insults at him?"

"I was…" _Busy looking at Kurt's eyes. _"Uh… Pulling that big guy off him. I didn't catch what he had said." Blaine said looking at his shoes, which had a little bit of scuff as the guy had stepped on them.

"Yeah, you better set things straight before that Kurt kid gets the wrong idea from you. Wouldn't want him to harbour feelings for you when you can't return it, don't you?" David patted his back and Blaine absent-mindedly nodded.

"Well then, let's head back to Dalton. It will be dark when we arrive if we don't leave now." Wes called and all of them nodded and followed Wes out of the place.

* * *

Kurt fidgeted with his fingers as he sat waited for Blaine to arrive at the Lima Bean. After the whole incident the day before, Kurt just couldn't stop thinking about his saviour, the very first stranger who was brave enough to stand up to Karofsky for him. For the first time in the past few months, the reason he couldn't sleep was because of a guy and not due to the pain of bruises he had gotten from his being bullied.

A small smile escaped his lips as he remembered the way the hazel eyes that's almost like gold looked at him in worry. When he realized what he was doing, he quickly shook away the goofy smile off his face and took a glance at his watch and frown. It is already over ten minutes passed their meeting time. Could it be that he had forgotten about this date?_ Stop it, Kurt._ _It is just a friendly meeting. That's all it is; a friendly meeting. _Kurt scolded himself in his head as his fingers nervously fidgeted again.

"Hey!" Kurt snapped up to the voice and immediately smiled. "I'm sorry I'm late. I got caught up with a Warbler meeting and Wes had me helping him with a song selection that I had lost track of time."

Blaine settled down at the seat opposite of him with Kurt just staring into his eyes. Blaine face began looking at him guiltily when he realized he had not said a thing.

"Oh, it's okay. I, too, had only just arrived." _Twenty minutes ago._

Blaine looks at him carefully, scrutinizing as though trying to catch Kurt from lying. After a while, Kurt just smiled reassuringly. He seems to have bought it as he returned the smile.

"I would have called but I didn't really get your number yesterday so…"

"W-We could exchange numbers! If you just hand me your phone, I could—" Kurt couldn't keep the smile off his face as he saw Blaine reach up in his pocket and slid his phone over the table.

"Here."

Kurt picked the phone up and swiftly keyed in his number and made a missed call to his phone so that he would have his number as well. He returned the phone with another smile.

"There. I put in under 'Kurt'."

"Great." Blaine pocketed his phone and they both went silent before, "Umm, do you want to order some coffee?"

"Sure." Kurt stood and they both headed to the line silently.

There were a couple of customers before them so they patiently waited for their turn. Kurt just stood beside Blaine in silence as he glanced around somewhat nervously while Blaine just kept his eyes to the front. He doesn't know why exactly Blaine had asked him out for a coffee but one thing for sure, it wasn't because they could both stay silent. So Kurt racked his brain for something, anything to say so that they could talk and all he could think of was, "Do you guys really have to wear that blazer every day?"

Blaine look at him in amusement before replying him, "Well, yeah. Dalton is a private school and so this is our uniform. Why?"

"It's not like I don't like the blazer. It makes you look dapper and all," Blaine cocked his eyebrow at that as Kurt continued, "But don't you want to change your style rather than look similar with just everybody else in your school almost every day? I mean, isn't every moment of your life an opportunity for fashion? How could you live with wearing the same thing every day?"

"Kurt, you make it sound like wearing the same thing every day will cause an apocalypse."

"I won't even wear the same outfit more than once in a week." Kurt inserted.

Blaine laughed lightly before adding jokingly, "But everybody loves the blazer. The girls even go crazy for it."

Kurt's could almost hear his heart screech to a stop at Blaine's words but Kurt just tighten his lips as he kept his gaze forward. "So, umm, Dalton is an all-boys school right?" Kurt struggled to keep his voice even and nonchalant.

"Yeah."

The next question was almost hard to get out but his curiosity got the better of him.

"Then, is, umm… You know, are you guys all, umm… gays?" The moment the words left his mouth, he wished he could take it back since somehow asking it sounds a little offensive, and that coming from a gay guy himself. He felt like burying himself when Blaine didn't answer him straight away.

Blaine was definitely stunned by the question, his eyes widened at the bluntness of it but he answered it with thoughtfulness anyway.

"We… Well, there are gays in our school but…" Kurt didn't understand why but he let out a relief sigh at that, "Against popular beliefs, not all of us are gays. Some of us are straight and even have girlfriends, so yeah… We are just like any other school, I guess."

"Oh." Kurt hesitated. "So are you…?"

"I don't really like the labels but if I have to put one, I'm, umm… Straight. Yeah, I'm straight." Blaine muttered softly, almost looking uncomfortable answering that question.

In that instance, Kurt could feel his heart breaking and his face hot in embarrassment. Seriously, what is wrong with him setting his eyes on straight guys? First Finn and now Blaine? He breathed in slowly and saw that the person in line before them had ordered and he quickly stepped up to the counter to avoid the building of awkwardness that was starting to fill the air.

"Can I have a grande non-fat mocha, please? And Blaine?" Kurt fixed his eyes on the girl taking their orders even though he was addressing Blaine, in fear he could see the blush on his face. It was times like this he hated his pale complexion, even a slight rush of blood to his face will make him look as red as a cherry.

"A medium drip for me, please." Blaine supplied and they proceeded to wait for their orders. "Kurt, are you okay? You look—"

"Huh? What? Me? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Why won't I be?" Kurt smiled at him but still not daring to make any eye contact yet.

"Here's your order, sir." The girl handed him the two cups and Blaine promptly handed her the cash though he was still looking at Kurt carefully.

"Oh, hold on." Kurt handed Blaine's cup over to him and started rummaging his bag.

"What are you doing?" Blaine cocked his triangular brows.

"Paying you back?" Kurt answered even though it was obvious.

"No, no. I invited you here for the coffee so let _me_ pay for you." Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand to halt him from his actions but he instantly regretted it. Kurt flinched away from his touch as though he had burned him as he a flash of horror filled his features before turning into one of embarrassment and contrite.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It was just reflex." Kurt mentally hit himself when he saw Blaine's hurt from his face.

"Kurt." Blaine's gentle but tentative tone made Kurt look up warily. "How about we talk?"

At that moment Kurt knew that there will be a lot of question that will be asked and he had to berate himself for letting show him slip to someone he just knew merely a day before. He don't really like the idea of telling other people what was going on in his life but when he saw the strong pair of hazel eyes settling on him, he just knew that there was no avoiding it.

* * *

"Would you tell me what happened, Kurt?" Blaine asked carefully the moment they had settled in their seats. They have shifted to the back of the Lima Bean that would grant them some privacy and Kurt silently thanked him for it. He doesn't exactly want the whole world to hear about his problem and being in Ohio, letting people overhear him confessing that he is gay isn't really a good idea. "I saw what that guy did to you yesterday and one thing for sure, I know that wasn't the first time he had done that to you. Is there a reason why he did that?"

Kurt fidgeted with his cup of coffee as he felt Blaine's gaze on him. He didn't know why Blaine who was a stranger to him just a day before would like to know so much of his life. He knows he shouldn't just let any strangers in simply by exposing his emotional self. This person could hurt him. He has no reasons to involve himself with him anyway but what could he possibly do when he knows Kurt's stories? Is he going to use this against him during Sectionals? Would he be tricked like how Jesse St James had tricked Rachel into a relationship that was thought as special before turning his back on her?

_You are suspicious of everyone, my boy. You should give them the benefit of the doubt and have some faith on the new people you will meet._

Mercedes words suddenly rung in his head and he snapped his head up to meet with Blaine's hazel eyes. He was patiently waiting for him to answer his questions like he has all the time in the world and Kurt so much wanted to believe that there was sincerity in his eyes.

He shut his eyes briefly before breathing out. _What could possibly be worse than what I am already facing in school now?_ Kurt thought and with that he made a resolute decision.

"I don't know if you had heard the whole thing that that guy had said to me yesterday," Kurt started slowly, "but mostly they had been bullying me simply because I am gay."

A flicker of anger flashed through Blaine's eyes and Kurt look at him in wonder, "That doesn't give them the permission to do what they did to you." Kurt let out a nonchalant shrug before Blaine asked the next question, "How long has this been going on?"

"Since Freshmen year, they actually had always been bullying me because of my… extraordinary taste towards fashion but during my sophomore year, I came out to everyone in the school and that was when it got worse."

"And no one is doing anything about it?" Blaine frowned.

"Well, my friends would help clean myself up after an attack and gave me some support but other than that, I guess they couldn't do anything about it. We are in the glee club. We are not exactly in the top of the social pyramid. We are more of the bottom of it. There's nothing more they or even me myself could possibly do about it."

"What about the teachers? Surely at least one had caught them pushing you against the lockers?"

"There was an instance where Mr Schue, that is our glee club teacher, helped me once when he saw what Karofsky had did that to me. He had just pulled him off me, sends him off for a week of detention and then went free. It was after that that Karofsky and his gang had made sure to always do it behind the teachers back. So now, even if I do report of my bullying to the teachers, I have no proof of them shoving me to the lockers except for the bruises that are decorating my back now. "

Blaine cocked his eyebrows when he asked, "Then why didn't you show them that?"

Kurt shrugged, "Well, it's nothing I couldn't handle. Besides, I can't always rely on Mr Schue, who I'm sure is the only teacher left that cares about me. He already has his hands full with his impending divorce, glee club and Coach Sylvester crazy attempts to bring the said club down. I don't want _my_ problem to add on into his list."

"But being bullied isn't just a trivial thing, Kurt. You should at least tell someone about it." His voice scolding as he took in a breath, "Tell me at least that your parents know about this."

"Umm, my mom passed when I was eight" Blaine muttered a soft apology at that, "and my dad… I don't think I can tell him."

"Why not? Is he… Not accepting of your sexuality?"

"It isn't like that. If anything, my dad has been great to me after knowing my sexuality. It's just that I don't think his heart could handle this. He just had a heart attack a few weeks ago and I don't want any unnecessary things to stress him out."

"This isn't 'unnecessary'. He needs to know. Maybe he could even do something about it."

"No. I still can handle it myself so there's no point to have him get involved in this."

"But he is your dad. He has the right to know."

"No! He just went through a heart attack that almost cost him, Blaine. I can't risk adding stress to his heart. He's the only family that I have left. I don't want to lose him over a problem that I could probably handle it on my own. So no, I won't even _dream _of telling him about this and you _can't_ make me."

Kurt stubbornly folded his arms, suddenly finding his cup more interesting as Blaine let out a tired breath. Silence stretched between them before Blaine finally broke it.

"Then at least let me help you, Kurt."

Kurt lifted his head with his eyes wide, inquiring. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because I know what it feels like to be bullied."

"You do?" Kurt's eyes went bigger as if that was even possible as he asked a silent question with his eyes.

It took Blaine a moment to get it but he quickly added in, "Oh, It's not in Dalton, if that's what you were thinking. Dalton had been nothing but nice to me with their zero tolerance no bullying policy." He paused. "It was in my previous school that got me to experience all the things that I wish I would never have to experience. It got too much for me when I was there so when I was at my wits end, I immediately was transferred to Dalton."

Kurt nodded as he took a sip of his coffee that is already getting cold, processing what he had just been told. In other circumstances, he would have asked him the reason why he was bullied but there were other questions that he rather has the answers now. "So… How exactly will you be helping me?"

Blaine turned up his head with a kind smile. "At my old school, I ran mostly because I had no one there. I was lonely, alone to face all those bullies by myself. So it had me thinking that maybe if I have someone to hold onto, maybe then I won't have a reason to run away from them or from that place."

Blaine paused before reaching for Kurt's hand and squeezed it gently.

"I don't want you to run Kurt. Running from the bullies from my previous school was the only thing I have regretted doing. It made me feel weak against them. It made it look as though those bullies have got a hold on me when in fact I could actually just stand up against them and tell them I'm not someone to be messed with. It was a mistake that I had made and it is a mistake I don't want you to repeat. And I know I can't really stop the bullying from happening to you but I do know that I could stop you from facing your enemies alone. So I could only offer you that one thing that could have probably stop me from running; a friend, one that you can hold on to."

"So you want to be my friend?" Kurt repeated slowly, feeling a tad incredulous.

"Yes, so that you don't have to be alone. You'll have me." Making it sound so simple when it is anything but that.

Kurt stared at him as though he had grown a pair of horns on his head but when Blaine's hand squeezed his own reassuringly again, he felt that he should really trust him. He may not know what the guy he had just met was getting at but one thing he knows for sure, it could be worth a try. He smiled at Blaine as he shifted his palms up in Blaine's hands so that they are holding their hands. That simple action alone elicited a warm bright smile from Blaine and Kurt found himself mirroring his expression.

"So we are friends now?" A hint of excitement filled his voice.

"Yeah, I guess we are."

And when Kurt's eyes traveled down to their entwined hands, he couldn't help but feel that after the past few months that he had faced maybe this is the point when his life is changing for the better finally.

* * *

**A/N: ****Will you click Follow or Favorite below? They are like my inspiration. Will you give me a review? They are like crack to me. So please don't hesitate to shower me with them, I will definitely appreciate them. Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3: Warblers

**A/N: This update is a little bit late. But anywho, there had been a lot of tweets by Ryan Murphy a few days ago and did you guys see him answering about the Kurt/Blaine/Burt scene with 'Then you will be happy with the last 2 episodes'? I am so looking forward to that! Are you? Not to mention that he had mentioned about Blaine's wedding. **

**Alright, back to the story, the song that I have used for this chapter is of course the famous song, 'Teenage Dream' Boyce Avenue version, original by Katy Perry. Check it out. Personally, I like this version better. So, I shall not hinder you guys from reading any further. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Warblers**

"Hold up. He just wants to be friends with you? That's it?" Mercedes voice was loud enough to earn disapproving looks from the next table.

Kurt had been telling Mercedes about his whole meeting with the Dalton Warbler lead vocalist the next day at lunch, of course leaving the part in which he talks about his problems to him. He had some doubts in telling his friend in the beginning because he had a suspicion that once he tell it to Mercedes, it could spread like wild fire and then the whole of the New Directions would know about it. It doesn't help either that the situation right now is creepily similar to the beginning of the whole debacle that was Jesse St James but he just felt like needing to share it with his best friend about the first stranger that had stood up for him when he was faced with his bullies. That and of course, he couldn't stop gushing about his new developed crush with another straight guy. Not that Mercedes needed to know about that last part.

"That is what he really said." Kurt picked at his salad trying to sound nonchalant while the memory of the previous day was being played in his mind.

After being asked to be his friend, the conversation had turned into a lighter note and Kurt found that he had never found himself as comfortable as he had before with someone he had only just met. Blaine had easily told him about his life in Dalton and also his friends in the Warblers. In that short time, he got to know that he is actually the lead vocalist of the Warblers and is very close to the three council heads that Kurt had met previously before. Their conversation strayed from there to their personal interest and Kurt can't stop thinking that they had a lot in common, for instance their love for the Vogue magazine. As the day was getting late and since the distance from Lima to Westerville took a little over an hour, Blaine had left before the clock strikes nine to meet up with his curfew. While they walked to their respective cars, Blaine had told him he had a nice day with him and would love to introduce him to the rest of the Warblers someday before leaving him with a bright smile.

"Are you sure he isn't gay? Come on, normal guys don't read the Vogue magazine." Mercedes broke him from his thoughts as he stared boringly at his friend.

"Are you implying I'm abnormal?" Kurt huffed out. "I prefer the term extraordinary, thank you."

"You know what I mean. It's kind of suspicious for a straight guy to like something like Vogue. Straight guys usually go for football."

"He does like football, 'Cedes. He is just being a fashionable open-minded guy that likes Vogue. Besides, he told me himself that he is straight when I asked him." Kurt said ruefully while he pushed his salad around with his fork.

"You asked him?" His best friend gave him an incredulous look and he immediately felt offended from that.

"Can't I? He told me there are several gay guys in his school so I just wanted to know if he could be one of them." _That totally isn't true. I want to know if I have any chance with him but apparently with him being straight, there's not even a hope for me anymore._

"I don't know, boo. For him to randomly ask you out for a coffee and suddenly offers you to be your friend, it pretty much sounds fishy to me. Maybe you shouldn't get close to him."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "This is why I have doubts telling you earlier. He is straight, Mercedes. He wants nothing more than being my friend. Nothing is going to happen and as far as I'm concerned, I remember you telling me just a few days ago to, and I quote, give them the benefit of the doubt."

"I did say that but—"

"No, you can't take it back, Mercedes. You told me to give them that and I did, so I think it is your turn to walk the talk." Mercedes scrunched her face as Kurt used her own words against her. "You haven't met him, 'Cedes. I have, and I think he is sincere enough to want to be my friend. I'm sure you will like him too if you meet him."

Mercedes just stared off and look at his friend. Somehow, in the short time his friend had met with the guy, the guy seems to have enraptured his friend's heart. She genuinely felt happy for her friend to finally have a friend outside of New Direction but she still can't help feeling a little worried for him.

Ever since their coffee date, or as Kurt would sadly correct it as a coffee _meeting_, Kurt and Blaine had exchanged texts incessantly, talking just about anything and everything and would also update about what was going on in their life respectively. Sometimes when both of them were free, they would even call up each other and talk for hours before one of them has to actually pull away.

* * *

After two weeks of constant messaging, Kurt would sometime found himself checking his phone every now and then to check if there were any new messages from Blaine and this of course, doesn't go unnoticed by anyone.

Kurt was staring at his phone screen, smiling to himself for a message that Blaine had sent him a few hours earlier. He had told Blaine about his bullying that had gradually been affecting his mood and just by a single word from Blaine, he could already feel lighter in his heart.

**COURAGE.**

Kurt felt his smile getting wider staring at his phone as he made his way through the corridors that are only filled with a small number of students, towards his locker. He wasn't aware of the figure lurking in the corner until it jumped on him and pushed him roughly against the locker.

He could only let out a surprised pained cry as his left shoulder made full impact with the locker, knocking his phone out of his grip. Kurt slid down the locker as he clutched his shoulder that was already pulsing with pain before shooting a glare at his attacker.

"What was that for?!" Kurt shouted. His light mood from earlier instantly gone.

"That is for showing your stupid smile onto my face." Karofsky turned to pick Kurt's phone and look into the screen that was still on. "Who is this? You find yourself a faggot boyfriend?"

Kurt shot up and quickly tried to reach for his phone but Karofsky easily place the phone out of his reach.

"Give it back!" Kurt tried reaching for it again but Karofsky grabbed him by the wrist, halting his movement instantly.

"You want this?" Karofsky waved the phone above his head. "Then answer my question. Who are you talking to? Is there a new faggot that I need to kick their living lights out?"

"It's none of your business."

The hold on his wrist tightens. Kurt stared defiantly at him and as silence ensues, the grip slowly became painful.

"I guess I will just throw this phone then."

"He is not from this school and he is straight." Kurt answered with gritted teeth. "Satisfied? Now let me go and give my phone back."

Karofsky seems to scan him over before pushing him back against the locker again, releasing his hold. He heard a clutter that was his phone on the floor before Karofsky wordlessly left him there dumbfounded.

He didn't know how long he had been standing there, holding his wrist that was bruised from the rough handling when his phone rang shrilly in the now empty corridor. Finally snapping out of it, he slid the screen and pressed the phone on his ears without looking at the ID.

"_Hey Kurt, are you finish with your classes?"_

Blaine's smooth voice flooded over the line and Kurt immediately felt calmed by it.

"_I am just done with mine and God was it boring without your text entertaining me. I have another free hour till the Warblers practice now and since I'm bored, I figured you could talk to me and…" _Blaine trailed off, realizing that Kurt hadn't been speaking. _"Kurt?"_

"Yeah?" He winced at his voice that sounded like a squeak with his throat suddenly feeling dry.

"_Are you okay, Kurt? Why do you sound like that? Did something happen?"_

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I… It's… It's just…" Kurt paused, looking at his wrist that was already turning black and blue in the shape of Karofsky's fingers. "It's Karofsky."

Silence, before. "_Are you still in school?"_

"I am."

"_Okay. Stay put there. I will come over."_

"You don't have—" Kurt tried to say but the line went dead soon after.

* * *

"Kurt?"

Kurt snapped his head up the moment he heard the voice to see a guy clad in blue and grey approaching him.

"Blaine." Kurt stood up but before he could step forward, Blaine was already by his side, holding him gently by the elbows.

"What had happened, Kurt? Did he hurt you?" Blaine carefully inspects him, his eyes settling at the way Kurt was cradling his wrist. "Let me see that."

Kurt released his wrist from his own grip before Blaine gently pushed up the sleeve and gasped at the black and blue already colouring his friend's wrist.

"He grabbed you?" Blaine's voice was silent.

"My phone fell when he shoved me and he picked it up. I was just trying to get it back when he suddenly grabbed me." He clarified.

"Does he do this to you often?"

"He does but he had never once left a bruise at a spot where someone can easily see usually. He is always very careful so that the teachers can't suspect them bullying me. This is the first time." He scrunched his face in profound confusion and Blaine carefully pulled him into a hug.

Kurt was leaning towards Blaine but he abruptly pulled back when he felt a pain on his shoulder at the contact. Blaine looked at him worryingly and somehow seeing someone cared for him so much, Kurt felt his heart clenched.

"I'm fine now. Thanks for coming, anyway." They went into silence before Kurt looked up at Blaine in askance. "Wait a minute. Don't you have Warbler practice now?"

"I do but I kind of left in a hurry earlier on." Blaine rubbed his neck bashfully.

Kurt's eyes went wide. "Blaine! You are their lead vocalist. How could they practice without you?"

"I..."

"You should leave now. You probably could still make it." Kurt pulled Blaine around and pushed him towards the door.

"What about you?" Blaine tried looking back at Kurt as he was continued being pushed by Kurt.

"I'm fine. You don't actually need to come here in the first place, you know."

"But in the phone—"

"He just attacked me then. I was in shock. Now, I'm fine so you can go now."

Blaine made an abrupt halt as a thought flashed into his mind. A smile creeping up into his face and Kurt gave him a suspicious look.

"I'm not going to just leave you here so how about you follow me to Dalton for my practice?"

Upon hearing that, Kurt released his hold on Blaine and looking at Blaine as though he had gone crazy. "We are competitors." Kurt deadpans.

"It's not like you are going to spy on us. Besides, we haven't even started our preparation for Sectionals yet so there won't be any top secret info that you could possibly leak." Blaine winked.

"I'm not sure…" Kurt hesitated.

"I did say that I want to introduce you to the other Warblers too so this is a good chance as any." Blaine gave him a hopeful smile.

Kurt seems to think it over before finally relenting. "Alright."

"I promise you will love them and they will you." Blaine took hold of Kurt's hand as he led them outside towards his car.

* * *

"I don't think this is a good idea after all. I stand out like a sore thumb here." Kurt whispered as he kept his pace so that he would walk alongside Blaine through the corridors of Dalton. Uniformed boys were walking almost everywhere but in an orderly manner and none of them paid heed to his presence there. Still, that doesn't stop him from feeling uncomfortable.

Blaine tilted his head towards Kurt and laugh lightly at Kurt's nervousness. "Don't worry, Kurt. I have called Wes and he had informed the dean that you will be visiting. You are our distinguished guest so no one would throw you out as long as you are with me."

"Sure, why not."

Blaine raised his brows with a quirk at Kurt's sceptical tone. "We have a zero tolerance harassment policy here. No one would even lay a finger on you unless they would want to get into trouble or get their ass kicked out of here."

Kurt just nodded silently as he looked around at his surroundings. Everything was extravagant there. It was a totally different view than what he could see from his own school. The floor here were polished and cleaned. There is small mahogany tables scattered along the corridors, completed with expensive china. Glass chandeliers were also decorated on the ceiling and Kurt couldn't help but stare in wonder by what he could see there.

They carried on walking deeper into the corridors in companionable silence until they were both met by two big wooden doors.

"We are here." Blaine announced softly to Kurt, patting him lightly on the shoulders. "Ready to meet the Warblers?"

Kurt nodded and Blaine swiftly stepped forward and pushed the doors open. He was met with fifteen pair of eyes all scattered around the well-furnished room. They were clearly talking among themselves before they were interrupted by the door opening and Kurt can't help but feel a little intimidated by the stares. He would have made a run if not for the kind smiles they were sending him.

"Kurt, these are the Warblers. Warblers, this is Kurt." Blaine introduced him to the room of guys before stepping into the middle of the room leaving Kurt standing alone by the door. "How about we give Kurt a very Warbler welcome?"

With a nod towards someone that Kurt immediately recognises as Wes, Wes started singing a tune as the other follow suit to stand up and gather around behind Blaine. The moment Kurt could comprehend what they were doing, he let out a fascinated laugh.

_I think you're pretty without any make-up on_

_I think you're funny when you tell the punch line wrong_

_I knew you got me when you let your walls come down, down_

_Before you met me_

_I was alright but things were kind of heavy_

_You brought me to life_

_Now every February, you'll be my Valentine, Valentine_

He was undeniably captivated by how well their voices accompanied each other. His eyes were kept to Blaine who was leading the song before straying to the others behind him. He recognises Thad and David who were standing right behind Blaine, swaying and snapping their fingers to the increasing tempo as with the others. As they reach the next verse coming to the chorus, his eyes went back to Blaine who was singing with much joy in his eyes.

_Let just talk all through the night_

_There's no need, to rush_

_We can dance until we die_

_You and I, will be young forever_

_You make me, feel like I'm living a_

_Teenage dream, the way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep, let's run away and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops, when you look at me_

_Just one touch, now baby I believe_

_This is real, so take a chance and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

Kurt felt his heart skipped a beat with Blaine pointing to him as he sang the word 'you' in the chorus. He didn't know that a Katy Perry song could make him feel all fluttery and light but he could already find himself smiling widely as he nodded his head to the beat of the song.

_When you're around me, life's like a movie scene_

_I wasn't happy until you became my queen_

_I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece_

_I'm complete_

Kurt brows quirk up as he noticed that the lyrics were modified into a cleaner version with no innuendos involved and he find himself liking the song even more.

_I'm a get your heart racing, if that's what you need_

_In this teenage dream tonight_

_Let you rest your head on me, if that's what you need_

_In this teenage dream tonight_

With the song clearly coming to an end as they went through the bridge and chorus again, Kurt felt the happiness that he had never felt before settling in his stomach. Kurt's mind was still reeling in happiness that he wasn't even aware that the performance has ended as his eyes kept on Blaine. The guys were already exchanging claps when he finally snapped out from his thoughts. As his eyes were met with a pair of hazel eyes, he froze at the sensation he was feeling. _Is it possible to fall for someone this fast?_

* * *

**A/N: Please do review, follow and/or favorite. It could maybe help me to update earlier. :)**

******Reply to Chrisch: I'm really glad you like it. There is a reason why Blaine is straight at the moment and you will find out in the future chapters, so I hope you will stay with me till then. And yes, of course Kurt and Blaine will both get together in the end. Klaine is endgame after all. ;)**


	4. Chapter 4: Doubts

**A/N: Alright! A new chapter! Have you guys watched the latest episode of Glee? It was pretty intense wasn't it? I was sad that there wasn't any interaction between Kurt and Blaine and all the while I was watching, I have scenarios playing in my head on how it should have happened. So, I had it written it out and I just had posted it here in FF under the title of _'Last Chances'. _Please do check it out_._**

**Other than that, school is starting for me again this coming Monday and I dread the upcoming workloads and projects coming my way. I hope I can still update this regularly. Anyway, back to the story. The song that I had used for this chapter is Kelly Clarkson's 'Catch My Breath'. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Doubts**

"And then he brought me to this exquisitely posh room where apparently the Warblers held their meeting and they actually started singing an a Capella version of 'Teenage Dream' to me!" Kurt gushed to Mercedes as he was barely able to contain the excitement that was flowing out of him.

The two had agreed to meet up earlier before their glee's practice so that Kurt could fill in his best friend to the happenings that had left him happy and free of worries when he came back home the day before. He would have told Mercedes when he got home that time but he was too busy replaying the day's events to his dad. Now that he got some alone time with his best friend, he repeated the whole thing again just like he did with his father.

"I was shock to say the least. Like, how often do people get welcomed with a song sung by sixteen guys without music? But I must say that they are _really_ good. Their harmonizing was _flawless_ and their voices were so _melodious_ that until now I can't get it out of my head. Then—"

"You were introduced to some of the Warblers namely Nick, Trent and Jeff and got reacquainted with the council heads Wes, David and Thad. After that, all of you left for their cafeteria and you had a great bonding time with Blaine and the Warblers and so on and so forth."

Kurt was shocked at the interruption and gave her a confused look. "Wait. How did you know about that part?"

"You do realize you have gone on about this for twenty minutes without a pause, right? And you had repeated the whole story to me _twice_. I get it already." Mercedes commented dryly.

"I did?" He asked. Then upon realization, blood rushed to his face. "I did, didn't I?"

Kurt buried his face in his hands while Mercedes laughed at her friend's antics.

"I did the same thing to my dad yesterday and he was almost convinced that his son had fallen in love with this Blaine guy." He muttered through his hands that was still covering his blushing face. "In which, I'm not, by the way. He's straight. Let me remind you." He added quickly.

"I did not say a thing about that." Mercedes looked at her friend in amusement before frowning. "Kurt? I really don't think you should get close to him."

Kurt snapped his head back at Mercedes with a questioning look. "Are we really getting back to that?"

"Don't you find him suspicious at all?"

"He is nothing but kind and friendly towards me, Cedes. I'm very sure he is sincere into just being friends with me."

"Well, that's what Rachel thought of that Jesse kid before he broke her heart."

"Blaine is not like that and I know this because he's straight, Mercedes, straight! And thus, won't be able to even break my heart."

"Who won't be able to break your heart, Kurt?" Rachel inquired as she stepped into the room along with the other New Directions behind her.

"Finally found someone that could re-enact the tent scene of Brokeback Mountain with you, Lady Hummel?" Santana took the seat behind Kurt and leaned over. "Come on, details."

"Ew, Santana, I don't want to know about the details." Finn grimaced as he chose to sit a distance away from his stepbrother in hopes that he won't be able to listen for the 'details' if there were even one.

"Aw, Frankenteen, I think gay sex is hotter than sex with you. Maybe you could learn from Hummel a thing or two so that the next time when you do the deed with say, probably that dwarf over there, you will know what to do?" Santana gestured to Rachel with a smirk.

"Stop it Santana, that's mean and I don't want to hear about it." Rachel shot back. She was still sore after knowing about the truth of what had happened between Finn and Santana and she really doesn't need a reminder of it. "Now, you were saying, Kurt?"

Kurt rolled his eyes as he leaned back on his chair. "I did not say anything."

"But you were talking to Mercedes about someone breaking your heart just now." Rachel insisted.

"No one broke my heart, Rachel. It's just Mercedes over-reacting."

"Why would Mercedes over-react? No, actually, who is this guy we are talking about?" Rachel pressed on.

"It's no one." Kurt answered at the same time Mercedes supplied, "It's the Blaine guy."

Kurt's head snapped up to Mercedes. "What?"

"Blaine? You mean the one you that told us about whom Kurt had met that time? That Warbler guy?" Quinn asked Mercedes, suddenly interested.

"You told them?" Kurt's voice was almost close to a shriek as he stared wide-eyed at Mercedes in disbelief.

"You should have expected it, Kurt. Nothing stays a secret for a long time in this glee club." Puck was unexpectedly in the conversation as well, leaning closer to the group of girls that had surrounded Kurt.

"But you promised you won't tell anyone." Kurt accused her.

"I was worried about you so I had to tell them!" Mercedes defended herself with no hint of guilt at all.

"Worried? What would you need to worry for? He's just a friend, Mercedes, _a friend_." Kurt repeated tiredly. "How many times do I have to repeat that for you?"

"But he could be a spy! He is suspiciously acting like that Jesse St James guy. Even the others agreed with me when I told them about the story. That guy could hurt you, Kurt." The others nodded in silent agreement and Kurt let out an exasperated sigh.

"I appreciate all of your concern but I assure you, Blaine isn't like that. You should get to know him first. You could really feel him as sincere."

"No offense, little brother, but you sound just like Rachel when we confront her about the issue of Jesse." Finn quipped. Rachel was strangely quiet about it as she just bowed her head down probably replaying the whole incident in her head.

"That's offensive." Kurt muttered under his breath.

"We are just looking out for you, Kurt. We really think it is safer if you just kept your distance from him." Tina advised softly.

"Safer?" Kurt scoffed. "Like I could feel any safer here."

"Kurt—" Mercedes started before Kurt cut in.

"Leave it, Cedes. I don't want to fight with you or any of you guys. As for Blaine, let me be the judge of him, okay? I may or may not stop talking to him but for now, can you guys just leave it at that?"

The others went quiet, exchanging glances amongst them as Kurt folded his arms tighter and refuse to make any eye contact with anyone of them in the room. The silence broke when Mr Schuester walked in as he droned on about that week's assignment.

At least for now, no one would mention about his friendship with Blaine and ask him to stop contacting him. He knew the reason why his friends are concerned for him. Heck, he felt that same concern when it was happening to Rachel but now, he isn't really sure whether to feel touched or feel angry at his friends. He is touched that they had shown that they care for him but at the same time he felt angry with them having doubts about Blaine. They had not even meet him yet so how could they be so sure he could be like Jesse? For all he knows, they could be wrong about him and breaking off a friendship that he was beginning to feel special about just because of the future that they had not yet seen seems stupid.

But then again, how could he be so sure that Blaine would not be like that? He just knew him barely two weeks ago and two weeks talking through text messages and calls isn't exactly enough to get to know someone truly. And what if Blaine wasn't exactly what he thought he would be?

Without realizing it, Kurt had become accustomed to their daily texts and calls exchange. He had also confided with Blaine a lot about almost everything even Mercedes did not know about. Just in two short weeks, he recognizes Blaine as his mentor and his best friend outside McKinley. If Blaine had become his friend just to be a spy on him and his friends, he doesn't know how he could react to that. He could already feel his attachment on Blaine. _Oh Gucci, what was I thinking getting so attached to someone I barely knew for two weeks? _Kurt thought as he buried his face into his hands.

* * *

"So how's school for you?" Blaine instantly started grilling Kurt while they sat on the same seat they had been the last time they were at the Lima Bean.

"Boring with the daily dose of the usual slushies and locker shoves." Kurt shrugged as he lifted his cup to his lips and took a sip.

"I don't understand how you can find something like that 'the usual'."

"Well, if you are shoved and slushied almost every time you get into the corridors in between classes every day, you will get used to it. In fact by now, I think I'm already immune to the coldness and hardness of the slushies and lockers. I barely flinch." Kurt grinned as though that was his biggest achievement.

"Says the guy who still has bruises all over his body. Let me see your wrist." Blaine held out his hand, wriggling his fingers so that Kurt could place his wrist on it. Reluctantly, Kurt pulls up his sleeve and wristband he was wearing and places his wrist on Blaine's awaiting hand.

Blaine leaned forward and examined his wrist gently with a frown as he turned it up and down. He notices that it wasn't as bad as the last time he saw it but it was still blue and black with a hint of yellow in it.

"There's yellow in it so that at least means it's healing." Blaine declared finally and Kurt smoothly pulls back his wrist to put on the wristband.

"I thought I only have two weeks left two live. Thank you for assuring me with your diagnosis, doctor." Kurt mocked a surprise as he place a hand on his chest in a dramatic gesture.

Blaine broke into a smile and rolled his eyes. "Drama queen."

"I take that as a compliment."

They both went to comfortable silence as they each took a sip from their cups.

"So are you going to tell me what is bothering you right now?" Blaine broke the silence.

Kurt looked up at him in confusion. "What?"

"Usually text messages and calls would already be enough between the both of us, so with you asking me to meet you in person, something must definitely be wrong. Besides, the expression you are having now just proved that I'm right. So now, talk."

"I…" He opened his mouth just to close it again, is he really that easy to read for Blaine to see through him?

When Kurt kept his silent, Blaine immediately jumped into conclusions. "Is it Karofsky? Have the bullying gotten worse? Do I need to go down and knock down some sense into him?"

Kurt lifted his brows in amusement. "He's a footballer, Blaine, and he is bigger. Before you can knock him down, he will knock you out first."

"Your lack of faith wounds me."

Kurt laughed before his choice of words had him fading it out. "Actually, that is what I would like to talk to you about."

Blaine scrunched in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"I, uh, had told my glee club members about you." Kurt muttered quietly.

Blaine nodded to show he was listening. "That's great, isn't it? You don't have to keep this friendship from them after all."

"Yeah, but they don't really like it that I'm close to you." Kurt finally confessed.

Those words caught Blaine off-guard, "Oh. Wow. That is… Wow. I don't what to say. Is there, uh, is there a reason?"

"Well, there is. Basically in our last Regionals, our self-proclaimed lead vocals, Rachel, got involved with the lead of the Vocal Adrenaline who was our competition back then. Long story short, we found out that he was actually a spy and it ended up with a very heartbroken Rachel drenched in rotten eggs thrown by him."

"So you are afraid that my being close with you would be a repeat of that incident?" Blaine concluded and Kurt nodded shamefully. "Kurt, I will never do that to you."

Blaine said that in a solemn tone that had Kurt regarding him carefully.

"How do I really know you are not just saying that to appease me?"

"Kurt, when I said I wanted to be your friend, I really mean it. I have little to no intentions at all to hurt you or be spies for the New Directions. I really want to help you face your bullies because I know how hard it is to handle it alone. Not to get you to reveal your set list to me. Besides, I don't think Wes would even approve of the Warblers spying on our competition. It is against our code and we would never break that code."

Kurt seems to contemplate the things that Blaine had just said and when he finally came to a conclusion, he softly muttered, "I'm sorry to have doubted you."

"It's understandable for you guys to suspect me like that after all that happened. I'm just glad you had chosen to be honest to me instead of just keeping it to yourself."

"I'm nothing but honest."

"Good because I don't want you to keep anything from me."

Kurt laughed. "You sounded just like my father. He said that to me when I came out to him after I had tried to convince him I'm not gay by joining the football team."

"You were in a football team?"

"Just for a game; as a kicker."

"Wow, the more I know you, the more you surprise me, Kurt."

"I'm glad you think of me that way. After all, I am more than meets the eye."

"A Transformers reference? Really?" Blaine quirked his eyebrows.

"I'm gay. Not dumb. Everyone knows and probably had watched Transformers at least one point of time."

"And I assume you didn't watch it because of Megan Fox?" Blaine lifted his triangular brows teasingly.

"Did you miss out that I am gay?" Kurt mirrored Blaine by lifting his own brows and both of them burst into laughter.

* * *

"So with Sectionals coming up, I would like each of you to try and find a song that we could perform for the solos. All of you will get to perform and we will later put it up for votes." Mr Schuester droned on as he patted the piano for a measure.

"Oh! Mr Schuester! I have—" Rachel began her usual attempt to be the centre of attraction before she got cut off by Kurt.

"Rachel, could you let me speak first?" Rachel nodded slowly at Kurt's sharp interruption before she shifted back to her seat slowly. "Mr Schue? If I may?"

"Sure, Kurt. Here, have the stage." Mr Schuester gestured at the place he was standing beside the piano before giving way to Kurt and moving over to sit with the rest of the glee club.

"Thank you, Mr Schue." He nodded at his teacher before looking at all his friends who was looking at him curiously. He took a deep breath before he started. "It has come to my attention a few days ago that my friendship with lead Warbler Blaine has all of you worried and full of suspicion."

There were silent nods around the room as he continued.

"So I took it upon myself to talk to him personally and confront him with it."

"So you are no longer talking to him anymore?" Quinn prodded. Mercedes and Tina smiled and nodded in approval. Even though Kurt loves both of the girls, he felt a little irritation seeing their delighted reaction with the idea of Blaine and him no longer speaking.

"Actually I still am." Kurt clarified, earning a couple of gasps from the girls and some outraged reaction from the guys. Kurt tried to carry on speaking but he can't get back the attention of his fellow members as they all but shouted among each other.

"Guys, guys! Kurt hasn't finished speaking yet! Would you guys calm down and let him finish?" Mr Schue shouted above the noise that effectively silenced all of them.

"Thank you once again, Mr Schue. So as I was saying, like I had said a couple of days ago, I would be my own judge on whether if I should continue my friendship with Blaine or not and after having a heart to heart talk with him over coffee yesterday, I have decided that I should not worry maintaining my friendship with Blaine. At all." He declared.

"Oh, hell to the no!" Mercedes stood up so quickly that the chair she had just sat on got pushed to the back. "Kurt, this Blaine entity could be a repeat of Jesse St James! I would not allow him to hurt you, boo."

"I talked to him yesterday and I know what I see, Mercedes. He is nothing like Jesse St Sucks. I feel like I could trust him." Mercedes was about to protest but Kurt immediately added. "For the first time in my miserable life here, I actually found someone that understands me, someone that might actually _know_ what I am going through now, someone that may actually care about me and I'm not just going to let him slip away from me!"

Kurt snapped and the two friends stood glaring at each other for a while.

Mercedes finally figuring out that there was no point in protesting against Kurt anymore when he clearly wouldn't listen to her anymore, she grudgingly folded her arms tightly against her chest and sat back. All the while the other glee members along with Mr Schue look uncomfortably at the exchange

Kurt sighed. "It's not that I'm saying you guys don't care about me. You guys worrying over me about Blaine just show me that but I want you all to understand that maybe I need more than just you guys. Like someone from the outside that would be able to look in with me at my problems. That someone is namely Blaine and I would like all of you to respect that."

Kurt heard Mercedes snickered and glancing at her, she rolled her eyes.

"I already had a feeling that some of you would still be strongly opposed to the idea of being close to Blaine so I have prepared a song for you guys to hear. Brad?" Kurt nodded to the pianist who suddenly appeared to be there as he started playing. Kurt closed his eyes, preparing to sing and meaning every word that he was going to sing.

_I don't wanna be left behind_

_Distance was a friend of mine_

_Catching breath in a web of lies_

_I've spent most of my life_

_Riding waves, playing acrobat_

_Shadowboxing the other half_

_Learning how to react_

_I've spent most of my time_

Kurt snapped his eyes open and turn to look at his audience who were all looking at him in ponder.

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that_

_Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now_

Kurt started to move forward to his friends that were sitting. The next words rung more closely to his heart even though he might deny it if asked directly but as long no one knows about it, he would be fine.

_Addicted to the love I found_

_Heavy heart, now a weightless cloud_

_Making time for the ones that count_

_I'll spend the rest of my time_

_Laughing hard with the windows down_

_Leaving foot prints all over town_

_Keeping faith karma comes around_

_I will spend the rest of my life_

He breathed in as he stood beside Mercedes singing the next verse.

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that_

_Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now_

He moved back to his original position by the piano and closed his eyes again. The moment he did that, he could see the face of his hazel-eyed friend and he softly smiled as he belted out the next words.

_You helped me see_

_The beauty in everything_

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that_

_Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now_

Finishing the last few words, he let out a breath and opened his eyes finally. Looking over at his friends that all has a pensive look, he knew the message he was trying to send them has been delivered. Mr Schue was the only who clapped for his performance but he didn't mind at all. As he shifted back to his seat, he could feel an invisible strain that was already forming in his relationship with the glee member.

He sighed inwardly. Hoping against hope that one day his friends in the New Directions was wrong about Blaine and would one day accept his connections with Blaine.

* * *

**A/N: Once again, please do review, follow or favorite if you like it. It will mean a lot to me! Check out on my take on Shooting Star too, it is called 'Last Chances'. Thank you!**

**Reply to Chrisch: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. You are really sweet! Well, writing is still in progress so I'm not sure when is the chapter in which Blaine will start explaining comes out but I have all my plot laid out and I will try my best to make it be sooner rather than later. In the meanwhile, I will just have to keep your toes curling. Hehe! Hope you had enjoyed this chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5: Escalate

**A/N: It was no excuse for me not bringing any updates for three weeks! I'm so sorry for letting this happen. School had just started again three weeks ago, projects were piling up fast then I had started on my new tutoring job and everything just went out of hand. It doesn't help that I had a slight writer's block for a while either. But no worries, while I updated on this chapter, I am currently working on the next one and will post it as soon as I'm done with it. Please forgive me!**

**And while I was away, look at what happened to canon Klaine! I can't believe Blaine just did that. I was squealing all the way during the scene with him and Burt. I can't wait to see what will happen in the next episode! All right, before I ramble on even further, let me stop myself. The beginning of this chapter might feel like it's a filler chapter but I have to show how close Kurt and Blaine had become and also how the ND is towards Kurt before going to the next step of the story. So yeah, hope you enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Escalate**

"Coach Sue? Isn't she the one you told me about that is so keen on destroying your glee club?" Blaine's voice questioned through the small speakers of Kurt's phone. Kurt was balancing his phone in between his ear and shoulder as he turned the combination of his locker. With a click, the locker was opened to reveal a picture of Blaine in his Dalton uniform with the words 'Courage' decorated below it using paper cuttings.

"Yes, the very one. Apparently Principal Figgins had caught some sort of monkey flu from Borneo and so she had stepped up to become the Principal." Kurt sighed as he softly closed his lockers before turning to lean against it and took hold of his phone properly. He won't usually call Blaine in between classes but after the short emergency glee club meeting he had a moment ago, he just needed an outlet to vent out to.

"Is there even such flu? And how is that possible for the sudden jump of power? She used to be a coach and suddenly, she can easily step up to become a principal next?"

"She's one cunning devil, I will tell you that. She can easily manipulate someone with just a mere movement of her finger." Kurt shrugged.

"Is that what you are worried about? That she would try to bring your glee club down? Is that why you are so upset?"

"Oh, that is not even close to it. You will think Coach Sue overtaking the school is bad enough but wait till you hear what had happened next." Kurt said in his dramatic ways.

"Why? What could be worse?"

"Rachel, the resident bossy pants." Kurt said in a 'duh' tone as he rolled his eyes even though he knew Blaine couldn't really see that. "After the principal, the flu had spread to Mr Schue and he was so out of it that he thought all of us were little kids before passing out on the floor during practice yesterday."

"You guys do look like precious little kids that need to be taken care of." Blaine quipped with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Laugh all you want." Kurt tried to sound irritated but a small smile appeared on his lips instead as he heard Blaine's melodic laughter over the phone. "As I was saying, after Mr Schue was 'immobilized' and was called unfit, Miss Bossy Pants just take it upon herself that she would take over the glee club without even asking for our thoughts on that. Oh, I'm shaking so bad that I don't know if it's from low blood sugar or rage."

"It can't be that bad. You said it yourself before that she is some sort of a leader for your glee club. So it's only fitting that she would take over when your advisor isn't there, wouldn't it?"

"Please, it's not like I don't want to appreciate her and all that because _damn_, her talent. But her making everything all about herself without taking in consideration about the others, it's getting rather old. Santana had even lashed out at Rachel in Spanish with her antics and that doesn't happen quite a lot." Kurt thought back to what had happened at the choir room earlier and shivered. Santana was quite angered by her let-this-be-all-about-me attitude that she couldn't even hold back anymore. It was because this that the meeting was adjourned right away.

"Why not consider taking a break from Glee club while you guys wait for Mr Schue's comeback? I'm sure he will recover soon."

"We can't. Sectionals are near, remember? And we have not even settled on a set list yet." Kurt sighed into the phone before adding playfully, "Wait, are you trying to trick us into slacking? Cause' that won't happen, you know."

"Man, I had hoped you didn't see through my 'dirty tricks'." Blaine joked.

Both of them burst into laughter at what was implied. Everything was so easy with Blaine that he could even joke about what had gone down with between New Directions and him. Kurt was still laughing lightly when he said, "I know you're joking but don't ever let the New Directions hear that from you. They will definitely jump on my back and make me try to stop talking to you again."

That had put a stop to Blaine's laughter effectively. His voice was laced in guilt when he muttered, "I'm sorry I had caused the tension between you and your friends. Are they still not talking to you?"

Kurt let out small smile. He had told Blaine what had happened after he told the New Directions that he wasn't just going to stop talking to Blaine, of course he did and ever since then, Blaine had kept apologizing for something that wasn't his fault in the least. Kurt found that it sweet of him and it somehow made him feel a little angry with his friends in his glee club. How could this kind soul be anything like Jesse St James? He is far from it. No way, someone like him that could make him feel this good have an ulterior motive. "They are talking to me but not as much as they used to. Mercedes is the one taking it the worse. She is still talking to me but not as much as we used to. She refuses to look at me in the eyes even. Don't worry though I'm sure she will get over it once she really gets to know you."

"I hope so. I don't want to be the reason you lost your best friend." Blaine muttered forlornly.

"Blaine, this is just between them and me. I told you, none of this is your fault. Don't blame yourself over it. Besides, if you are worrying about me losing a best friend, don't worry about it because I already found a new one." He didn't realized what he was saying before it all comes out from his mouth. It almost sounded like a confession and Kurt's cheek flushed at his own stupidity.

Before there was a chance for Blaine to reply, the bells rung, drowning any reply that could have come from Blaine.

Kurt took the opportunity to speak up before Blaine could. "Oops, that's my cue to leave."

"Oh." Blaine's voice actually sounded sad at the idea of ending their call soon, making Kurt feel strangely happy. "What lesson are you having now?"

"English." Kurt pushed himself off the locker and headed towards his class. "I wished there could be a change of teacher. The one I'm having now is boring. The sub I had for last week when she's sick was better. Do you know the sub sang to us for her lesson? It's sad that she only teaches Spanish though. It will be great if she could be our permanent English teacher or something."

"She could sing?" Blaine sounded intrigued.

"Yeah, I was shocked too. She has quite the voice." There was a long pause and Kurt almost thought they were disconnected when Blaine spoke again.

"Well then, since she can no longer be your sub for English, why not ask her be the sub for something else?"

"What do you—" Kurt stopped in his tracks. "Oh. _Oh_. Oh my God! You're such a genius, Blaine! Oh my God! Thank you! She will definitely be better than Rachel! You probably don't realize this but you might have just saved all of the lives of the people in the glee club. I swear if Rachel takes over another one of our practice, there will be carnage, I tell you. _Carnage_."

"Oh, Kurt." Blaine chuckled.

"Well, if you see how crazy she could be, you would understand me. But seriously, you are our saviour!" Kurt was so immersed by the conversation that he hadn't even keep a lookout to his surroundings like he usually did. He was just reaching his class when one moment he was still holding his phone close to his ears, talking to Blaine and the next he was suddenly on the floor, thrown off without any warning.

The palms of his hands were throbbing from trying to catch himself from falling into his face earlier. He snapped up, only seeing a glimpse of Karofsky leaving with a smirk. He was so close to chasing that guy in rage but cursing silently instead when he heard a muffled noise from the small speakers of his phone that had slid a distance away from him during his fall. He hastily crawled towards it and placed it back on his ears.

"Kurt? Kurt, are you there? Kurt, answer me!" Blaine sounded frantic. Kurt was sure that Blaine had been screaming into his phone.

"Blaine, I'm here. I'm okay." Kurt started to pick up the books that had scattered from his fall with one hand, staggering as he tried to stand up.

"Okay? It sounded like you had a bad fall! What happened?" Worry was clear in his voice and Kurt's anger slowly dissipated as he listened to his best friend fussing over him.

"I'm fine, Blaine. It's just Karofsky." He heard Blaine started muttering expletives in his breath in anger so Kurt chose to calm him. "I'm okay, Blaine. I'm not hurt. You know this happens every day."

"Exactly! It happens every day! It needs to stop, Kurt. You got to tell your dad."

Kurt shook his head, forgetting that Blaine still couldn't see him. "We have talked about this."

"But—"

"_Please_, let it go."

There was a moment of silence before he heard Blaine let out his breath. "Fine. But if it gets any worse, I will go tell your dad myself."

"I can handle it on my own." Kurt started moving towards his class again, pausing outside when he had reached. "Now, I got to go. My class is starting."

"Okay. Call me when you're done?" Blaine asked.

Kurt smiled, glad that Blaine wasn't pushing him like how his other friends would do when there was any kind of that situation. "I will."

"Bye, Kurt. Be safe." He whispered.

"Bye, Blaine. Thank you." Kurt whispered back as he ended the call. As he settled down in his seat, he pulled out his phone again as he scrolled through the text messages with Blaine. Usually after an attack, he would feel tired and used but strangely, since Blaine was there even though not physically, he felt nothing but complete lightness. Well, there was still the slight throbbing on his palms but that doesn't thought about it anymore than he was thinking of Blaine then.

Kurt pulled out his work as the boring old English teacher entered his class. He took a glance at the time and let out a bored breath. Even though they had just gotten off the phone, Kurt had already started missing talking to Blaine. So waiting for his class to end will definitely be a pain in the ass.

* * *

"We are thankful for you stepping in and saving us from the reign of Miss Bossy Pants there but that doesn't mean I'm no longer angry at you." Mercedes said as she moved up beside Kurt as they waited in line to get to their food.

Kurt turned to his friend in amusement. "Well, nice to have you talking to me again, Mercedes. To what do I owe you the honour of your presence here?"

"I don't want just a boy to break our friendship, you know." Mercedes mumbled shamefully.

"Just a boy now, is he? No more calling him a spy or a traitor?" Sarcasm was clear in his voice as they both stepped forward in the line.

"I'm not here to fight with you, Kurt. Can we have a change of subject?" Mercedes said irritably.

"Okay, sure, fine. What do you want to talk about?" Kurt glanced at her before scooping some salad onto his tray.

"I don't know. What about what you will be doing later on today?" Mercedes asked with a grin.

"Why?" Kurt raised his brows. She was definitely trying to amend their relationship and knowing Mercedes, it must took a lot in her to just push aside her ego and began talking to Kurt again.

"Well, I know I haven't really been there for you lately after, you know, that day on practice. So how about we have a little girl time like maybe we go for bowling?" Mercedes looked up at him expectantly.

"I..." Kurt started.

"We need to be there early though. I heard there would be a crowd later on." Mercedes rumbled on, smiling.

"Actually, I have already made plans with Blaine..." Kurt said slowly, regrettably.

Mercedes' face instantly fell, her tone quiet as she muttered her next words. "Oh. It's okay then. It's not like I had made plans with you earlier."

Kurt looked at her guiltily. He always had time whenever Mercedes asked him out so having to push her offer down for the first time and see her dejected look was a new thing for him. He got to do something about it. Even though they were fighting until just a moment ago, she is still his best friend and he couldn't just forget about her just because he had found a new best friend.

"Oh! 'Scuse you." Mercedes rushed forward excitedly. Kurt's eye's followed his friend in mirth at the sudden change of attitude as she totally ignored an annoyed look from the blonde girl she had just cut the line from.

"I'm sorry. She is just so hungry." Kurt muttered as he stepped up to his friend who was filling her tray up with some greasy deep-fried potato tots.

"Whoa, whoa, a couple more. Thanks!" Mercedes urged as Kurt just stared at her tray. He doesn't know whether to laugh at his friend or be disgusted of it as more of the oily orange substance was placed onto her tray. By the time it was filled to the brim, Mercedes was already full out beaming. "Alright, where was I?" she turned to Kurt happily. _Oh well, at least her food can make her happy._

* * *

"Look at this crap. Foam fish sticks?" Mercedes complained the moment Kurt sat down at their table. "Principal Sylvester is only serving pre-digested food now to give us more energy. I mean, do I look like a damn baby bird?"

Clearly, the banning of the potato tots had been affecting his friend more than it was affecting him. Well, not like he would mind the banning of that deep fried substance anyway. He would never touch that thing. It was that type of food that had sent his father to the hospital and it was the very reason he had kept his (and his father's) distance away from that thing.

"Don't fret your culinary disappointments. I come bearing gifts." Kurt leaned forward towards Mercedes excitedly. Surely, his friend would appreciate the plans he had for her.

"You brought tots?" Mercedes perked up.

"Better." Kurt looked pleased with himself. "I've set you up on a date."

Mercedes face fell the moment she heard that but Kurt kept pushing on anyway.

"I get it. My new budding friendship with Blaine is making you feel left out. Jealous." He added.

"Who's the guy?" She asked impatiently.

"Anthony Rashad." Kurt grinned as he looked behind Mercedes. As though knowing that he was being mentioned, the guy smiled when Mercedes turned to look as she waved. Kurt felt pleased with her reaction. It would only mean one thing, Mercedes Jones has approved of his selection and she would no longer be as lonely as she once was.

"Why him?" Mercedes turned back to Kurt with an irritated expression.

"No reason."

"Also has nothing to do with the fact that he is one of the five black guys at this school." Mercedes stated sarcastically.

"Wha… No. He is a wild receiver on the football team. He is _very_ good looking and he is a member of the Black Student Union." He added a thumbs-up as emphasis but Mercedes just rolled her eyes.

"Any non-black activities?"

"I don't know. My Google search was a little…" He trailed off as he tried to remember anything from his search the day before when he was searching for possible dates that he could set up with Mercedes.

"I can't take this anymore." She began digging a sketchbook out from her bag and started scribbling angrily.

"Mercedes, trust me. Love is just around the corner." The moment he tried glancing at the Anthony kid, his eyes unexpectedly met up with a smirking Karofsky.

"'Sup Homo." He gave Kurt a flirtatious wink and immediately a shiver ran down his spine. His eyes followed the leaving form of Karofsky from the cafeteria, all the while frozen in fear.

Just before he was able to take in the situation more clearly and full out panic, he heard Mercedes muttered something. He didn't realized that his friend were already climbing her chair as she hold up the book she had been scribbling on, when he was startled by a shout that came from behind him. He felt his heart almost jumped out of his chest as he looked around at the sudden commotion.

"Oh my God!" Kurt gasped.

"Tots! Tots! Tots!"

He looked up to see Mercedes still holding out the book above her head. It almost looked ridiculous. Here he was, scared out of his wits from the action his bully had just given him moments ago but his best friend were making quite a big fuss over a heart-attack inducing food.

"Mercedes. Mercedes, _please_, get down." Kurt tugged her pants desperately to gain her attention.

"Hell to the no. I'm not going to just sit back and let that conniving snake take what is rightfully ours." Mercedes declared aloud, earning even louder shouts of replies from the students in the cafeteria.

Kurt's heart beats faster. Partly from the shocking outburst but mostly from the fear he felt after seeing Karofsky. In the place that was filled with those loud noises, it wasn't really helping him with calming his heart down so with trembled hands, he grabbed his bag and promptly pushed his way out of the chaotic cafeteria.

At the silence of the corridor outside the cafeteria, he still could not find the calmness he was seeking. Somehow, it seemed a lot frightening being alone outside when anytime soon Karofsky might just jumped him out of nowhere.

His legs started on a run towards the nearest girl's toilet. That was probably the safest place to be since there's no way that his bullies would step into one. Once he reached his destination, he quickly shut the door, tugging a few times to check it was perfectly locked. After reassuring himself that it was secured, he stepped into one of the cubicles, shutting it silently but quickly locking it again before sliding down on the thankfully dried floor.

He stayed like that for quite a long time in silence aside from his heavy breathing. All the while, his heart still wasn't slowing down. Something with the way Karofsky had looked at him just now had his warning bells in his head rung as loud as it was right now. It wasn't just any simple taunting like he usually did. This time, there was a glint in his eyes that was telling him that what Karofsky had in his mind could very well be dangerous.

He shook away the tears that were beginning to spring up under his eyelids. Thoughtlessly, he fished out his phone and began dialling a number he was by now so familiar with.

"Oh, hey, Kurt." A voice so comforting flooded out from the small speakers of his phone after just a few rings and he began to start to breathe out properly.

"Blaine? Can I see you?" He squeaked. He began to feel better and that was just by hearing Blaine's voice.

"O-Of course." Blaine said unsurely. "Kurt, is everything okay?"

"I will explain all about it when we meet later. I just, I have to see you."

"Okay then. So, umm... See you 4 o'clock at the Lima Bean? I will only be released from class at three."

Kurt glanced at his watch. Three more hours. That would be long wait. "Yeah. Okay. That will be great."

There was a pause. "Or if you want to meet now, I can—"

It was so appealing to accept the offer but he couldn't let Blaine skip his classes. God knows what had happened after the last time Blaine had rushed over to him and skipped the first hour of Warblers practice. The Warblers had been kind to him but he knew Blaine had sure received quite the earful even though he never once mentioned it. "No, no. I'm okay. I can wait for another three hours."

"Okay. If you are sure…"

"Yes, I'm sure. Just, please don't be late for later, okay?" Kurt pleaded.

"I won't. I got to go to class now, Kurt. Take care?"

"Yeah, I will." Kurt shut his eyes to take in the last of calmness before he hung up again.

"Bye, see you later." Blaine whispered.

"See you later." Kurt shut his phone and looked at the time. _Three hours. Well, it's okay. I will just stay here until school let out. I will be okay as long as I just stay put here._

Kurt curled up into a ball as he buried his head in between his legs. Before he met Blaine, it was a normal occurrence for him to do that and cry silently to himself for long hours until he had to leave before the school gets locked up. But now, all he had to do was to wait for three more hours until Blaine was let out. That he could take. At least now, he has someone to run to. At least now, someone would actually care enough to realize that something was wrong with him. And most definitely, at least now, he was no longer alone. He has Blaine now and everything would be okay once he meets up with him later.

* * *

**A/N: I will update the next one as soon as I can! Please review, favorite and follow. It will means a lot to me! Oh, I had also posted a second part to my take on Shooting Stars. If you have not done it yet, do check it out and tell me how it is. Thank you!**

**Reply to Chrisch: Oh My God, you have totally been sweet to me. You have been reviewing all of the chapters and even my one-shots (or should it be called two-shots now?) and you had probably given me the drive to write more. I'm sorry I have not been updating lately and I hope you have not lost interest in my story just yet. But anyway, I hope you had liked this chapter! ^^**


	6. Chapter 6: Tree

**A/N: I know this is way overdue. Over a month I did not update this. Mostly life just got in the way and the other part was that to my horror my laptop just decided to think that it would be fun to crash(when I had a lot of reports that was due). Now my laptop is fixed, I would like to apologize to those who had been waiting for me to update this all the while. Now, I shall no longer stop you from reading. Hope you guys will enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Tree**

Blaine looked up to the clock, checking the time every once in a while. _Ten more minutes_, he thought and so discreetly, he began packing his things that was laid out on his table into his bag even though the teacher was still clearly teaching.

Nick, who was sitting a seat away from him, gave him an intrigued look but Blaine just shrugged and began tapping his fingers softly on the table. _Eight more minutes_, he thought impatiently.

"You seem eager to get out from this class." Nick whispered loud enough only for Blaine to hear. "I thought you wanted to be more of a model student. What gives?"

"I got somewhere to go after this." Blaine took out his phone under his desk, checking through his messages to find no new ones.

"Does this got to do anything with the guy we had serenaded before?" Nick smirked. "He's cute. I give that to him."

"Don't even try to go there. He called up to meet earlier. He sounded troubled, so I just want to check up on him if he's okay.

"He sounds like trouble all right." Nick muttered under his breath.

At that, Blaine turned his body fully towards Nick. "I'm sorry? What did you just say?"

Nick rolled his eye. "Look at you. You are acting like a lovesick puppy that didn't get to meet up with his lover nearly frequent enough."

"I don't act like a lovesick puppy." Blaine rebutted automatically. "And I don't like Kurt."

The teacher shushed them and Blaine softly apologized before turning to Nick who shot him a sceptical look that shows he didn't believe him one bit.

"Well, I mean, not like that, no." He added quickly. Checking that the teacher no longer had her attention on him, he turned to Nick and started explaining. "Look, I'm just concerned about him, okay? You know all this bullying stuff and now with his friends not really in speaking terms with him, he doesn't really have anyone in his school. It's just that I'm worried something might happen to him and then he had no one to turn to there. So I'm just there for him as a friend, that's all and nothing more."

Right as he finished his explanation, the bell rung and everyone began standing up to pack their bags. Blaine took that as his cue and was instantly on his feet as he was ready to bolt. Nick suddenly halted Blaine's movement by grabbing his arm. Blaine tilted his head in question.

"I really hope you know what you are doing. I don't need to remind you why you are here in the first place right?"

Blaine paused, before patting his friend's hand that was on his arms with a light smile. "No but still thanks anyway, Nick."

Nick smiled back, releasing Blaine as Blaine made a hasty exit from the class.

* * *

Blaine was almost at a lost to what he was supposed to do. They had been sitting at their usual seat in the Lima Bean for almost an hour but Kurt as yet to tell him what was wrong. There were light conversation between them but that was it. Blaine knew better than that that Kurt didn't call him just to sit for a coffee.

The drink in his cup was almost empty and Blaine knew that for Kurt to speak, he needs to make him speak.

"So, are you going to tell me what had happened earlier?" Blaine asked carefully.

Even with his voice soft, it seemed to startle Kurt from his own thoughts, his wide eyes shot up to Blaine. He hesitated as he tried to answer but when the words came out, it came out soft and uneasy. "What happened earlier, I think it was quite silly actually. I overreacted and I, yeah, called you in the heat of the moment. That's all."

"Even so, something must have happened nonetheless. Come on, I'm already here, you can tell me." Blaine prodded gently.

"No, I'm okay now. Let's just forget about it." Kurt nursed his almost gone coffee, staring down his cup.

Blaine looked over Kurt carefully. Seeing that Kurt would not be telling him anything anytime soon, he slowly got up from his chair and took his bag that was hanging on it.

"Are you leaving already?" Kurt eyes immediately went back to Blaine at the sudden movement and he could distinctly see disappointment in it.

"_We _are leaving." Blaine corrected. "Come on. I would like to bring you to somewhere else."

A tentative smile crept back on Kurt's face as he promptly took his bag and followed Blaine outside without any objections.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Kurt asked as both of them trudged along a field of grass. It was quite a nice sight. As he looked around, there wasn't anyone else besides them. Both of them had longed abandoned the normal pathway that would usually leads to the park as Blaine directed them to walk in a different way.

"Somewhere nice and quiet," Blaine answered simply.

"Why?" Kurt stopped abruptly in his steps as he stared at the back of Blaine's head with large eyes. "Oh God, I can't believe those noobheads New Direction might be correct about this. You really are a spy, aren't you? You're bringing me to a deserted place to force the set list out of me and if I don't, you will murder me and leave me to die alone out there."

Blaine who was now a few steps ahead from Kurt turned back and lifted his brows in amusement. "Right, because killing someone for a set list would be so worth it for a life sentence behind bars."

Kurt shrugged. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?"

"Right." Blaine smiled lightly. He was glad that Kurt still had the strength to joke around with him despite having something that was still bothering him. That at least assured Blaine that Kurt was still coping. "Come on now, we are almost there."

Kurt nodded following Blaine to walk through the grass that was slowly beginning to go uphill. After a few moments of companionable silence walking side by side, they finally stopped to a middle sized tree that Blaine looked up happily to.

"This is it?" Kurt looked up at the plain tree that was full of leaves and then turned questioningly at Blaine.

"This is it." Blaine confirmed as he began settling down at the base of it that was nicely shaded, then patting on the spot beside him.

"Oh no, you are not ruining my Alexander McQueen pants by making me sit there on the grass." Kurt folded his arms as he stood rigidly in place.

"The ground is dry. It won't stain your McQueen." Kurt shot him a look as Blaine patted the spot beside him again, waiting for his friend patiently. "Live a little, Kurt. Just sit here with me."

For a moment, it looks like Kurt wasn't about to budge but after an internal battle with himself, Kurt let out a pout that Blaine found adorable before settling beside him. "If it stained, you are going to pay for the dry cleaning services." He grumbled, earning a laugh from Blaine.

"Hmm… Isn't this nice?" Blaine closed his eyes and breathed in the fresh air blissfully.

"Why did you bring me here?" Kurt asked as he glanced over to Blaine.

"The café were getting too noisy. Unlike this place here, it is so peaceful and relaxing." Blaine opened his eyes and turned to Kurt, their eyes instantly met. "Besides, I know that the café didn't help to calm you down a bit. No matter how much you're trying to hide it from me, I can see that something is still bothering you far from what you let on."

Blaine could see Kurt's eyes dimming at the mention of his problems before they broke their eye contact. Blaine so desperately wanted for Kurt to tell him what had happened. It was clear that whatever it was, it was still bothering Kurt, if the frown he was wearing now had anything to do with it. Blaine wanted to erase that crease on his friend's face and he knew there's one thing left he hadn't done that could help him in opening up. It was one of the reasons he brought Kurt there anyway.

"This place kind of reminds me of a song and I think it fits with where we are now. Will you listen?" Blaine asked as Kurt nodded at the strange but simple request.

_I walked across an empty land_

_I knew the pathway like the back of my hand_

_I felt the earth beneath my feet_

_Sat by the river and it made me complete_

Blaine suddenly shifted as he faced Kurt, singing the next verse. It was this that he wanted to say to Kurt and it was only by singing that he knew it would get to Kurt.

_Oh simple thing, where have you gone?_

_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on_

_So tell me when you're gonna let me in_

_I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

Blaine was glad that Kurt was silently looking at him so attentively. That only means that his message was slowly getting through him. So with more confidence, he continued.

_I came across a fallen tree_

_I felt the branches of it looking at me_

_Is this the place we used to love?_

_Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?_

He instantly thought of being the place or more accurately, the person that Kurt could go to whenever things got tough for him, yes, that's what Blaine was aiming for. To be the place where there's no need for doubts, where there could only be trust and acceptance.

_Oh simple thing, where have you gone?_

_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on_

_So tell me when you're gonna let me in_

_I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

_And if you have a minute, why don't we go?_

_Talk about it somewhere only we know_

_This could be the end of everything_

_So why don't we go somewhere only we know?_

_Somewhere only we know_

As Blaine carried on singing the last chorus, he could see the understanding in Kurt's eyes on why he had chosen this song to sing to him. All he wanted was for Kurt to let him in, to let him share his pains with him. He couldn't be there for Kurt if Kurt kept everything to himself. He needs Kurt to talk to him so that they can face it together instead of having him to face it all alone. Once he had finished singing, he let out breath and waited for Kurt.

"There's no river or any fallen trees here." Kurt started lamely but Blaine knew that was just Kurt buying time to collect himself.

"I hope you know why I picked that song to sing to you." Blaine looked up hopefully to know that Kurt understand what he was trying to say.

Kurt smiled softly, looking thankful towards Blaine. "I would tell you what had happened earlier but just like I tell you before, it's just something silly."

"Whether it is silly or not, I promise I won't judge." Blaine said fervently.

"It's Karofsky." Kurt explained.

"It's getting worse." It was a statement from Blaine. He had suspected it from all the things that Kurt had told him in the past and he just couldn't bear to see it was affecting Kurt this much.

Kurt nodded. "To me, it is. Usually he would settle for the normal slushees and locker shoves in between classes but lately, he was getting more and more physical."

That raised a red flag in Blaine. "Is he getting more violent with you? Were you beaten up?"

"No, not really." Kurt shook his head before sighing. "That's why I don't think I need to tell you this. It's trivial and it's not worth something to worry over for."

"Kurt, if it's something that is bothering you, it isn't stupid. You have to tell me what is it really that caused you to shook up like that when you called me earlier."

For a moment, Kurt eyes just lingered on Blaine. He didn't know what he did to deserve a friend like him who is so caring even though they were merely strangers a few weeks ago. And as much as he doesn't want to say it, his family in the New Directions didn't even do as much as what Blaine had did for him.

Kurt took in a breath and folded his hands. "You know about the normal slushees and locker shoves." Seeing Blaine nodded in affirmation, he continued, "Usually those were done in groups. As in, Karofsky would be the lead of it and all of his followers would flock around him to do what they would always do to me. And if there was times when his followers could not be around him, he would totally back off and ignore me without doing anything. But recently, I find that it is different."

"Different how?" It was the first question since Kurt started and Kurt has to pause to think.

"Different as in, he doesn't really walk off like he would usually do when he's alone. In fact now, I find that he is acting quite weirdly whenever he's alone and would give me these… strange looks when he thinks no one else is watching. It's freaky and it always gives me the creeps when he does that. I feel like as though he is secretly planning for my murder and act on it if there's no one around." Kurt had his own arms around him, remembering the look Karofsky had sent him earlier.

"Did he do anything more to you besides that?"

"Well, no but I can't help but feel like he's waiting for a perfect timing to jump at me and do whatever he wanted to do with me." Kurt tightened his arms around himself as he shut his eyes. "I'm sorry. I know it's stupid. It's probably nothing. He was just giving me these looks and I'm already on the edge about it. I'm sorry you have to listen to this."

"What? Kurt, no. I'm glad you're telling me this. And you know what? This is not just 'probably nothing'. It's a concern when he is acting more weirdly around you." Blaine reaches out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kurt gave a strained smile. "So now, I want you to promise me that next time there is something that bothered you, no matter how small you think it is, I want you to tell me. I don't care if it's just a look or just an extra push I still want you to tell me if it bothers you, okay?"

Kurt nodded.

"Good. The other thing is, I don't want you to walk around in school alone anymore. Could you do that? You told me that Mercedes and you had started talking again so could you ask her to walk with before, after and if better, in between all classes? You may think it was nothing but it still worries me."

"I will try." Kurt replied slowly. "Thanks, Blaine. For looking out for me and everything else."

"That's what friends do for each other, Kurt." As Blaine spoke that, he had no idea what that did to Kurt in so many ways but Kurt stayed silent.

With no words no longer needed to be exchanged, Blaine laid back and leaned against the tree. Both of them appreciating the view around them as the sun was slowly setting in front of them.

"Blaine?"

"Hmm?"

"The song was nice but I think it would have sounded better if the Warblers had joined in for the backup."

Blaine turned in mild surprise. "Really, Kurt? And here I thought I could be proud of my voice."

"I do like listening to your voice, don't get me wrong. The Warblers was just a thought." Kurt said nonchalantly.

Blaine stared disbelievingly at Kurt. "You are starting to get addicted to the Warblers, just like how the whole of Dalton is with us."

Kurt lifted his brows and shook his head. "I am not."

"Just admit it. You are." Their eyes met and they held it that way as a challenge.

Kurt was clearly trying to hold back his words before finally giving up and rolling his eyes. "Fine. Maybe just a little."

"Hah! Told you we are like rock stars. You can't resist us." Blaine winked at him as Kurt looked away blushingly and smiled. Blaine couldn't possibly feel anymore glad to be the one to put that smile back on his pale friend's face.

* * *

**A/N: Please review/follow/favourite. I will need all the push to get me into finishing another chapter fast. You guys are the best just for still being here with me for this story!**

**Reply to Chrisch: I would really like to update sooner but my school and work just got in the way. I am so sorry. And to reply to your review, Blaine have yet to meet Burt but no worries, he will meet him and the ND soon, very soon. And as for the season finale, I can't tell you how much I feel like strangling Ryan Murphy for making the season ending in a cliffhanger like that. Blaine didn't even get to show the ring to Kurt yet. But aside from that, as much as I wanted our Klaine to get back together, getting Blaine to propose to Kurt so that they can get back together was a bit too far and too fast in my opinion. It would be nice to have them get back together in a proper relationship first before jumping the marriage boat. I want the build-up of their reconciliation. It would be more romantic and sweeter. But anyway, enough of my ranting, how about you? I would like to know how you felt about the finale too. :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Best Friend

**A/N: Another chapter way overdue and I really am sorry for this. There was a lot of tests going on and then there were exams. Not only that I was cheated in my tutoring job in which I wasn't paid for two months and I had to go up and down to my agent to see if I could get at least a part of my salary (in which they couldn't help me with therefore I wasn't paid). Then with my big project due, almost all of my time was dedicated to that leaving me with no spares to write. Now that I am having a break, I'm back on with my writing! So hopefully more updates! **

**But before that, I am excited to say that I will be going over to Brisbane, Australia for a study trip starting tomorrow! It's only a week long but I am excited to see what I could see there! So Australian readers, I'm coming to you~! Okay, so I have a lot to say since my almost three months hiatus so I will continue at the end of the chapter. You may skip over it if you want but for now I will not stop you from reading this chapter any longer so enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Best Friend**

"You're back early." Sarcasm laced through his friend's words.

Blaine glanced at the figure lying with a book on the bed opposite of his and then at the clock as he entered his dorm that showed it was already eight past ten. Blaine smiled sheepishly at Wes, closing the door behind him and went towards his own bed while loosening his tie with a soft sigh.

"What took you? It's already past curfew." Blaine could see his friend peeking at him ever so subtly from over his book with pure curiosity in his eyes.

"I was caught up and I didn't keep track of the time." Blaine answered distractedly as he pulled his phone out, sending a text telling Kurt that he had reached his dorm.

Almost immediately a jingle sounded, signalling a new message and Blaine eagerly open it, breaking into a smile while reading Kurt's good night wishes. He replied to it instantly and when he looked up to put his phone away, Wes had a weird knowing look on his face.

"What?" Blaine questioned, his smile faltering.

Wes shook his head, putting away his book before sitting up to face Blaine. "Nothing. I am just glad that you look brighter now and I can't help but think that this involves one chestnut haired boy named Kurt Hummel." Wes smirked.

"Wes, stop it. Yes, I am happy now but it isn't what you had in your mind." Blaine gave him a pointed look.

Wes put up both of his hands defensively. "I had yet to say anything."

"You don't need to. I know what you are thinking now." Blaine rolled his eyes at his friend, choosing to shrug off from his blazer and throwing it aside before throwing himself on his bed.

"Then if you know what I am meaning to say and denying it even before I get it out of my mouth, you should be able to answer my next question. What are you doing exactly?"

Blaine turned his heads towards Asian friend without moving on his bed. "What do you mean, 'what I am doing'? I am just helping a friend. What else?"

"A friend?" The tone in his voice clearly showed his scepticisms.

"Yes, a _friend_." Blaine spoke a little more harshly as he sat up and kicked off his shoes.

"No need to get defensive, Blaine. I was just asking."

Blaine let out a tired sigh before glancing towards his friend. "Is it wrong for me to help him?"

"It's not exactly wrong but..." Wes trailed off.

"But you and Nick sure make it sounds like it is."

"We are not saying it is wrong to help but whether it is okay for _you_ to be the one to be helping him?"

"Why? Because I am not capable?" Blaine sneered.

"Blaine, you know it isn't like that." Wes stopped him from further degrading himself. "We just want to know why you are trying to help him when you just barely know him a month ago. I have no doubt in your kind heart that you sincerely want to help him but in the situation he is in? Isn't this like—"

"No. Do not continue with that sentence." Blaine interrupted him quickly. His voice sounded strained so Wes knew not to go further any more than that.

Wes let out a tired breath. "You should at least be honest with Kurt, if not with us then with him. He would at least understand you and you may never know that he could help you with the way you are helping him now."

Blaine kept quiet for the entire time with his eyes on the floor.

"Just consider that, Blaine. None of us here like the way you are now, the whole state you are in." Wes spoke softly.

With that, Blaine abruptly stood up with his face away from Wes so he couldn't really see the expression on his face. "I'm just gonna go and take a bath."

Wes looked over at Blaine in what he would only call disappointment. "Sure. Go on then."

Blaine briefly nodded and without any word, he went straight to the bathroom locking it with a soft click.

"I guess we won't see him until tomorrow then." Wes sighed dejectedly before reaching over to switch off the table's light because he knows that once his friend enters the bathroom with that kind of expression; it would take more than a couple of hours before he would be out again.

* * *

From the moment they had entered the resting lounge, Kurt had not been able to sit still and Blaine could even detect an ounce of nervousness that he had no understanding the reason for. He wasn't given any clues except for Kurt promising to tell him everything once they were comfortably seated with a nice cup of coffee in hand, so Blaine silently acquiesced to it.

"So… What brings you here?" The sudden appearance of Kurt at Dalton during lunchtime had actually alerted Blaine. Almost every horrible thought flashed in his mind but at one glance at Kurt's clearly excited and happy vibe that exuded from him, any worries quickly vanished and was replaced instead with amusement. _Adorable_, he thought.

"Well, as you know my father and Finn's mom are actually dating right now. And earlier today, they came to my school. Together." Kurt was holding his hands together tightly as though trying to keep a hold of himself. It was clear he was trying so hard to keep his face stoic but he was already failing miserably with a smile breaking out once in a while.

"Okay. So you already know they are dating for a while now so it couldn't be them being seen together that you wanted to tell me about, right?" Though still confused, Blaine couldn't help but to smile himself when he saw Kurt already on the edge in keeping his excitement at bay.

"Yeah, what I wanted to tell you about is that…" By then, Kurt was already full out grinning as he burst out with his next words. "My father proposed! My father proposed to Carole and they are going to get married early next month!"

"Oh my God! Congratulations, Kurt! Your family would be bigger now, won't it?" Kurt was bouncing in his seat and clapping in his excitement. Blaine was glad to see how happy he was now when just a few days ago he was nowhere near excited. He couldn't be any more happier that he was chosen to be the one that Kurt shared his happiness with.

"That isn't the best of it." Kurt continued.

"Do tell." Blaine mirrored Kurt's excitement.

"I am appointed to be their official wedding planner. Unpaid but that is just a trivial detail. So that just entitles me to plan the entire wedding in the most perfect and wonderful way possible that only I could do." Kurt spoke so fast that he had to take a deep breath in a pause. "God, it had been my childhood dream to do this and to finally be able to do this, I'm thrilled!"

"That's even more great! Do I get to help you in this?"

"In fact, you do. _In fact_, I came here to also ask you for a favour." Kurt turned sheepish and the nervousness that he detected earlier returned.

"Kurt, you know you could ask me for anything." Blaine assured him. He surprised himself with how much conviction those words held and before he could dwell in his thoughts any further, Kurt thankfully spoke.

"I know but I think this requires more than just your approval."

* * *

"What?"

"Are you serious?"

"No way. Nuh-uh."

"Did I hear you right?"

One after another talked above each other to voice out what's in their minds. All the three council members were staring at him like he had just grown another head but shortly collected themselves when Wes knocked down his gavel three times to silence the room. When that didn't help, Blaine cut them all off.

"I-I know what I'm asking is slightly unusual."

"The Warblers haven't performed in an informal setting since 1927, when the spirit of St. Louis overshot the tarmac and ploughed through seven Warblers during an impromptu rendition of 'Welcome to Ohio, Lucky Lindy'," Wes stated.

"Holy Macaroni, am I hearing things or did Wes just disapproved B.B's proposition?" Thad muttered under his breath with widened eyes, eliciting an eye roll from Wes.

"It isn't exactly informal since this is anything but," Blaine inserted.

"Why would we even consider what you're asking?" David spoke up in his authoritative voice.

"I'm just saying that maybe with us performing in public audience it could up our standards and help us step out of our comfort zones. I feel that we're becoming privileged, porcelain birds perched on a—"

"You mock us, sir!" Thad exclaimed and as if on cue, all the other members spoke up as well.

"Thad, David. I will have order!" Wes knocked on his beloved gavel again as he sent a pointed a look to everyone in the room.

"Wes?" With his nod of approval, Blaine carried on. "Come on, guys. Our competition for Regional is the New Directions and from what I had heard from Kurt, their group is quite competent in performing in pretty much all kinds of hostile crowds and that had given the confidence you could see in them now. Why not take this as an opportunity to not only let loose but also scope out our competition? The New Directions would be there performing too."

Blaine saw that his words had captured the council and even the Warblers attention. All of them were deep in thought as though weighing their options before Wes spoke up. "Well, alright then, all those in favour?"

In Blaine's delight, one by one, all of the members held up their hands. Blaine turned back to his best friend hopefully so Wes nodded in resignation. "The numbers has spoken. We will be singing for the Hummel-Hudson wedding."

"And once again, Wes gives in to Blaine." Thad looked over at David. "But then I guess no one can withstand that guy's charms right?"

Blaine smacked Thad's back lightly but not forgetting to thank all his Warbler brothers.

"Practice date will be announced on a later date. So since all is settled," Wes knocked his gavel again. "Meeting adjourned."

Almost all at the same time the Warblers stood up and left the choir room. Just as Blaine was about to take on Nick's and Jeff's invitation to eat out, Wes stood in their way to the door. "Blaine?"

All three paused in their steps but whilst Nick and Jeff were looking at their council leader in askance, Blaine was all about giving a blank look. "We will wait for you at the lounge room." Nick softly says when he saw the seriousness in the faces of his two friends.

"We could wa—" Jeff started but Nick just grabbed the blonde's arm and pulled him forward.

"I need to go to the gents. It's urgent." Jeff turned and looked at his friend weirdly who was still tugging at him.

"We are all guys. You don't need me to—"

"Jay-Jay." Nick whined.

"You can't be serious." Jeff blew out a tired breath before letting Nick pulled him along.

Once the two best friends and roommates were alone, Wes cut the chase and went straight to it. "You are avoiding me."

"What are you saying? I'm not avoiding you." Blaine feigned innocence as he tried smiling at his friend.

"Every time I wake up, you have already up and left. In every class we shared and after Warblers practice, you are practically gone when you were dismissed. Not to mention, at the end of the day, you return exactly before curfew and if I am still awake, you went straight to the bathroom and won't leave until I'm asleep. Tell me if that isn't called avoidance." Wes folded his arms.

"I'm not avoiding you. I am merely busy." He finally met eyes with his best friend who was giving him a smug look.

"Blaine, you hadn't spoken to me since that conversation we had last week and I know you're avoiding me because you always does every time we talked about that thing."

"Wes, really, I am not avoiding you."

"Really? Then why didn't you consult me first before asking the Warblers to perform for Kurt's dad's wedding?"

Blaine immediately looked guilty. He would usually consult his best friend anything pertaining to Warblers first but he just couldn't face him just yet. In all his denial, he was trying to avoid his best friend. He knew Wes only meant well but he just didn't want to talk about anymore and he knew the topic would just come up again if he did spoke to him again. "I had forgotten to tell you." He finally mumbled.

"You never forget, Blaine. You are probably the person with the best memory that I have ever met."

That was definitely true. He was one of the smartest in his classes and that was all thanks to his well-known perfect memory. He knew his lie wasn't one of the best so he just avoided eye contact with Wes since he had already seen through him.

"I know you are still upset about that last time but I don't want you to feel that you can't talk to me about anything anymore, Blaine. I'm your best friend." Blaine met Wes's eyes and returned him the smile in gratefulness. "I won't talk about that topic anymore if it made you uncomfortable but know that I'm always here if you want to talk, okay? Just, please, don't avoid me anymore?"

"I'm not avoiding you." Blaine mumbled.

"And I you didn't want to perform for this wedding for Kurt." Wes smirked as Blaine good-naturedly smacked his friend's back.

* * *

**A/N: So a lot has happened during my sudden hiatus and that would be the devastating news of Cory's passing. I was actually researching for my project and I had a tab on my browser that was always opened to Glee news when I saw it. Needless to say, my project was forgotten and I couldn't think straight. I just couldn't believe it and I was definitely in denial for about five hours thinking it as a sick joke before the local news confirmed it. I was quite a wreck then. Cory was one of the people that made Glee what it is now and to lose him is like losing a part that was special to me. Cory's passing had definitely put a tilt in my world. I remember just pushing everything aside to watch Glee reruns again and cry in every scene Finn appeared. It was a little unhealthy but at least I think I had let everything out through that. I think I was brought back after Lea's short but moving TCA's speech. She's such an inspiration. Her strength just keep us all going. We are all moving on but Cory would definitely not be forgotten since he holds a special place in our hearts. I hope everyone else is coping well and if you need someone to talk to, I am here and available to talk.**

**Aside from that, Season 5 is slowly looming over us! Aren't you excited? All the trailers and teasers, I just can't help but look forward to it! Thank God it is only a few days away! I still have doubts on Blaine's 'shahposal' to Kurt since they are just 18 and 19 in the canon but if that meant that they will have their forever that way, I will take it. (Well, you can't really refuse it if it involves the Warblers, the New Directions, Vocal Adrenaline AND the Haverbrook Deaf Choir serenading my favourite character that is one Kurt Hummel at the place they had first met.) And not to forget my most favourite beloved idol, Demi Lovato will be joining the cast! Oh, how delighted I was to know that. Aside from Lea, she has been my idol that was an inspiration to me and I had been rooting for her ever since her movie in Camp Rock. Glee together with my idol? Just perfect. In addition to that, Adam Lambert? Pure awesomeness. Well there is the third episode to look forward to too since it's a special tribute to Finn but I'm not going to lie, I'm afraid to watch that since it will just makes Cory's passing even real and also there's the part in which I'm afraid that the episode didn't bring Cory's (or Finn's) life justice but I will just keep my worries for later. For now, let's all get excited for the new season together! Tell me your thoughts on the teasers and trailers for the new season.**

**Oh! Don't forget to review or follow/favourite if you have not done it yet. Love you guys for staying by me despite my sudden hiatus!**

**Reply to Chrisch: Oh my God! You're a teacher! That must be awesome! ****And to be one for the hearing impaired, even more awesome!** I would love to help those in need too but I'm afraid that I'm not that smart myself to teach. All I ever did was volunteer for the SPCA but soon was gently 'fired' because I got too attached to the animals there and I couldn't really cope well with the losses. Anyway, to answer your question, Nick was just being worried for Blaine, just like how Wes is in this chapter. They didn't want Blaine to get into a sticky situation. Some of the Warblers are close to Blaine enough to know some things the others' doesn't know about. Oh, and Burt should be making an appearance soon since the wedding arc is near. ;) I hope you are excited for the new season. The teasers and trailer just made me flailed. And also I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. I will be updating as soon as I returned from my study trip.

**Reply to Ellie: Yay! I'm glad you are loving my story so far! I am so sorry for my sudden and long hiatus. My explanation above most probably sounds like excuses but really I was so sorry for suddenly disappearing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and also would like to hear what you think of it too. ^-^**


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